The Sealed Garden
by Maru Maru
Summary: Upon moving into a new house, Inuyasha finds a large enclosed garden. Legend speaks of the spirit of a heart broken miko that haunts it. What happens when curiousity wins over, and he becomes the first to see what's inside? [InuKag]
1. Inheritance

~*Disclaimer: If I did own Inuyasha, I wouldn't be typing this out on Windows 95. Oh no. I'd have a brand new computer that didn't freeze on me so many times… *grumble grumble*

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

~*~*~ - change in scenery or time

**__**

Chapter ONE:

Inheritance

"What the hell did you call me for, Sesshoumaru?"

A silver-haired man sat calmly at his seat as another barged though his door and into his executive office. The businessman continued typing on his computer, ignoring the newcomer. 

"Well?"

Still staring at the computer screen, the man demanded of the other, "Sit down, Inuyasha."

The one called Inuyasha stubbornly crossed his arms, intent on disobeying any of the other's commands. If one were to compare the two, they would find the few aspect that plainly pointed out that they were related. They both had the long silver-white hair and slitted amber-gold eyes they had inherited from their father. However, that where the similarities ended. 

While the elder brother, Sesshoumaru, had two stripes on either side of his face, and a blue crescent moon-shaped marking on his forehead, the younger's face was clear. Sesshoumaru had an air of sophistication about him and a delicately shaped face that made him seem almost… feminine. He constantly carried about a furry boa on his right shoulder that had earned him the nickname, 'Fluffy' from his younger brother. Needless to say, he wasn't pleased with that.

The younger brother had a stubborn visage that was complimented by his crossed arms and defensive stance. His attitude and demeanour completely set him apart from his brother. While Sesshoumaru rarely showed any form of emotion, he wasn't afraid of letting everybody know how he was, and what he did. However, the thing, or rather, things that set them apart the most, were the dog-ears atop Inuyasha's head.

For you see, Mamoru Inuyasha was but a half-demon; a hanyou, while his brother was a full-blooded youkai. They shared the same father, but had different mothers. Inutaisho, their father, had taken a mate years before- a beautiful full-blooded dog demon. However, she had died upon giving birth to a pup. Sesshoumaru had been raised by the many servants of the household, while his father buried himself in his work. 

A few years later, when Sesshoumaru had been but four years of age, Inutaisho had taken another mate, this time, a human named Izayoi. Not soon, she too, became pregnant. At first, the young dog demon had been ecstatic to have a mother and a brother, but as time passed, and Mamoru Inutaisho died, Sesshoumaru finally learned what his brother and step-mother were. 

Upon discovering Inuyasha had 'inferior' human blood running through his veins, a hatred had developed. Encourage by the other full-blooded youkai at school, the dog-demon had begun to ignore his little brother, who didn't understand why 'Sesshou-chan' wouldn't play with him anymore. 

Once Izayoi had died, the health of young Inuyasha had been entrusted to the servants. Throughout the years the hanyou had lived with his brother, they had ignored each other, only exchanging choice insults now and then. 

When the boy had finally escaped to college, he had been only too eager to leave the hellhole of a home. The elder brother had also been enthusiastic about the move, and the two had not had contact for four years.

Which was why it had come as a surprise when Inuyasha had been contacted by Sesshoumaru one day, telling him to visit to 'settle some things'.

So here he was, in his brother's luxurious office in his business building, waiting for the pin to drop.

Sesshoumaru continued to ignore his standing sibling, calmly working at his computer.

The silence dragged on.

Finally, Inuyasha's thin patience snapped, and he erupted, "_Well?!_ I came back here! What the hell do you want?!"

"Sit down, Inuyasha," was the repeated reply.

Glowering, the dog-eared boy sat down dropped into the cusiony chair beside him, sinking downwards. His arms remained crossed, and his eyebrows drew together in a pout. For someone having graduated university, Inuyasha really was quite childish.

After several more minutes of silence, Sesshoumaru pressed a key, and swivelled to face his brother. They stared at each other in a battle of wills, neither willing to back down. The older demon's cool eyes bore into those of the unruly hanyou. 

The minutes ticked by, and Inuyasha coughed, tearing his gaze away.

The ghost of a smirk crossing the demon's face, Sesshoumaru folded his hands on his desk, and spoke, "As you know, Father was a very… rich man."

The hanyou snorted. 

Disregarding him, he continued, "He had much property, and owned this very corporation. All in all, across Japan, our Father possess-"

Whipping his gaze back to his brother, Inuyasha interrupted his smooth speech, "You fucking called me out here to tell me stuff I already know?" He stood up. "Well then, I'm outta here."

The elder sibling's glance sharpened, "Sit down."

Pausing at his tone of voice, the hanyou turned around to face Sesshoumaru. "What do you have to tell me?"

"Things you will benefit from."

Raising an eyebrow, Inuyasha plopped back down into the chair. "I'm listening."

Face as expressionless as ever, Sesshoumaru resumed, "As you know, Father owned several large mansions spread across Japan. However, at his death, he instructed that most of them would be sold, leaving only three in our possession. One is here in Tokyo, in which I take residence. The second is in the Americas for business trips." He paused to make sure his brother was still listening. "The last, is in the countryside. His will explained, that upon your graduation from university, provided you attended one, this last mansion would be given to you along with everything within it."

The youkai stopped speaking, gazing expressionlessly at his brother.

His brother, whose mouth was wide open in surprise.

Opening and closing his mouth several times, Inuyasha could only gape like an idiot.

"Are you trying to catch flies?" Sesshoumaru's face held the slightest hint of amusement.

Regaining his composure, the hanyou straightened. His mouth closed with a near audible click. "I get… a mansion? Just like that?" his eyes narrowed, "Wait… what's the catch? Why are you giving it to me?"

Nearly sighing at his brother's suspicion, Sesshoumaru withdrew a document, "See here, halfling?" Inuyasha's ears went back at that comment. "This is Father's will. This line explains that the house located on the outskirts of Kyoto will be given to the younger son upon completion of university. He was to be of twenty-four years, or older. You are twenty- four years of age, are you not? There is no catch. I, myself, have never seen this place." 

The younger frowned, "But you have heard of it, _Fluffy_?"

At this, there was an ever so small line in his forehead. "Yes."

"…and…?" Prodded the hanyou.

"Father saw it fit to give the house to you… because… he met your human mother there." His lip curled in the smallest of sneers.

Inuyasha examined his brother's face carefully. He'd thought there had been a brief flash of… sadness, but it was gone now, if it had ever been there at all. When they had been children, Sesshoumaru had loved his stepmother, and had played with Inuyasha. However, when he had discovered what a hanyou was…

Any brotherly feelings had vanished in an instant.

The full-blooded demon turned his attention back to the hanyou. He held out a small envelope, which Inuyasha took questioningly. 

Swivelling back to face the computer screen, Sesshoumaru spoke one last time. His voice was soft, "That, little brother, was what I summoned you for. Now go. I have business to attend to."

He resumed typing.

"But-"

"Go."

Inuyasha slowly headed towards the door of the office, throwing another glance over his shoulder. The full-blooded youkai was, once again, immersed in his work.

Stepping out of the large room, he closed the door carefully instead of slamming it like he would have done. 

"Leaving, Inuyasha-sama?" 

The hanyou turned to his right, spotting the secretary's desk. A petit woman sat there, long hair flowing down her back, and lively eyes dancing on her face. She had been the secretary for almost seven months- a record for the longest holder of that position. All of the others had been fired long before for their incompetence. 

'Sesshoumaru must really like this one.' He nodded and voiced, "Yeah. See ya next time, Rin."

She smiled, returning to her business- whatever it was, "Hello, this is Mamoru Incorporation. You have reached the office of…"

Her cheery voice was abruptly cut off as Inuyasha walked out of the main office area. His father's business, which now belonged to Sesshoumaru, produced goods, and shipped them world-wide. What it made, Inuyasha neither knew nor cared. He'd never had much of a business sense. Perhaps that's why his father had left the entire company to the elder sibling, instead of splitting it- it was a wise decision. 

However, Inuyasha found that he did have an interest in mythology, history, and supernatural occurrings, delving deeper into such things in university. He wasn't an archaeologist as many assumed when they heard what he did. He just liked to investigate unusual happenings. Having only just graduated days prior, he had yet to find a job- not that he needed one, of course.

Stepping into the elevator, Inuyasha pressed the button for the 'ground' floor. Now he'd just have to wait for 45 levels to pass…

He had all the money he could ever need, and now, even had a house all to himself! That left him free to do whatever he wanted, and to study anything. 

Not wanting to rely on his brother during his school years, Inuyasha had taken up teaching some of the martial arts in his spare time. Most of his students had been children from age 5 to teenagers up to 17 years of age. While not all of them trusted him- he was a hanyou, after all, he certainly did excel in that area, and was an excellent teacher, if not a little demanding at times. 

The money earned had allowed the student to get by with a decent living in the school dormitories. He had shared a room with his best friend since high school, Miroku. All through university, the boy, who _insisted _that he had descended from a line of monks, had constantly groped every female within 10 metres of him. 

Speaking of whom, how far _had_ he gotten with Sango?

They had met Sango in their second year. 

Miroku said it was love a first sight.

Well… make that love at first grope.

Inuyasha said he liked her because she hit the hardest. 

After a year of being the recipient of non-stop begging, Sango had finally agreed to go out with Miroku. Ever since that date, they had been an on again, off again couple. While they really appeared to like each other, Sango just couldn't take his groping (of other women) and he…

…

Well, he just begged for forgiveness every time. Not having been apart for longer than a span of three days, whenever they had to 'spend some time apart', he sent a multitude of gifts, ranging from poems to stuffed animals. 

She'd always forgive him.

They were a strange couple indeed.

The elevator 'dinged' as it reached the ground floor. Inuyasha stepped out of the chamber with an involuntary shudder- he'd never liked encased spaces. Maybe it had something to do with being trapped for half a night in a closet once with visions of spiders tapping here and there…

Strolling out the large front doors, the hanyou shaded his eyes from the sudden sunlight. Walking to the nearest train station, he waited for the next one that would take him to the apartment he was currently renting. Withdrawing the envelope from a pocket, the silver-haired man ignored the many gawks at his dog-ears, and tore it open. 

In it was a single card that gave the address for the country estate. Turning it over, Inuyasha found nothing, and arched an eyebrow. He only got the address?

Turning the white envelope over, he shook it. Into his open palm, fell a solitary key.

He examined the key that was about as long as his index finger, and thinner than a pencil. It appeared to be pretty old, fashioned from a shiny metal. Engraved in it were two words:

"Flower Garden?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A single car sped down an otherwise deserted road. 

In the car, was the driver- a cabby. He appeared to be in his early twenties, about Inuyasha's age. With him, was a hanyou who was steadily being bored to death- the man just wouldn't stop TALKING! Over the past two hours, Inuyasha had been sitting in the backseat of a cab headed towards his new home. During those past two hours, he had been 'entertained' by the seemingly endless stories of his driver.

"…and so, my girlfriend see… love her… sister… parents… sending… college… doctor… sports…" Didn't this guy EVER shut up?

Clearing his throat, Inuyasha interrupted the monologue, "Hey, are we there yet?"

Glancing at the irritated young man through the review mirror, the driver nodded, "Yup. Just a few more minutes, and we'll be coming up to your house."

Inuyasha slumped into the backseat, sighing. There was a momentary lapse in sound. He revelled in the silence.

"So…" 

Damn it! His ears needed a rest!

"… You're headed towards the mansion?"

"Yeah…" was the half-hearted reply.

"What for?"

Inuyasha groaned, "I'm living there."

The taxi suddenly swerved, causing the passenger to collide with the side of the car interior rather painfully.

"What the fuck?!" He glared at the front of the car, noticing the driver's eyes on him on the mirror. "…What?"

Keeping the gaze, the cabby spoke up, suddenly polite, "Well sir, we generally don't get many to drive around too many rich people."

He rubbed his temples. "I'm not really rich. My asshole of a half-brother is. I just leech off of him. That and my lifesavings." Inuyasha shrugged indifferently. Money had never been much of an issue to him.

"And you're moving into _the_ mansion?" 

"Are there any others around here?"

"The one with the sealed garden?"

This caught the hanyou's attention. "Wait, what? Sealed garden?"

"You've never heard of it?"

"…No…"

The driver nodded sagely. "Okay then. Now, see, you've got the mansion- beautiful thing, she is. And behind it, is a garden that nobody's been able to enter for years."  
"Why?"

"Well for one, there's an extremely tall stone wall that encloses the whole thing, and there isn't a door either. People have tried to break through, but it doesn't even scratch."

Inuyasha tapped his claws against the door. "Why don't they just climb over the wall?"

"They've tried. Nobody can do it. There's a sort of spell on the whole thing. Prevents anyone from even touching the stone two meters above the ground." He continued, "They've tried flying over it. Doesn't work. There's something obstructing the interior of that place from showing through the top. It's like the whole thing's covered in smoke. Anybody who tries to get in is zapped by the spell."

"…Then how do you know it's a garden?"

The cabby smiled, "Because you can see the plants that grow over the cracks near the bottom of the wall."

The hanyou snorted, "A few flowers don't make it a garden."

There was a momentary silence. 

Then, "You know, some say that garden's haunted."

Inuyasha's interest was sparked. "Haunted?" he glanced questioningly to the front.

The cab driver nodded, and turned down a smaller path. "You see, there's a legend. They say that 500 years ago, there used to be village here with the most beautiful flowers. There was also a young miko guarding this village and a sacred item that was entrusted to her. They say that she fell in love with a youkai when miko were forbidden from accepting the courtship of demons. But she ignored the rules, and continued to see this youkai. 

"Then, one day, tragedy struck- it turned out that the youkai had been playing the lovely priestess all the while, and he had always been planning to take the item she possessed. He destroyed the village, but before he could take the object, he was killed by the very woman he had betrayed. But the miko had been fatally injured in the fight." He paused for breath. "Now, you know how when people die, their souls move on? Well, they say that this miko's soul was too full of guilt for not listening to everybody else, and so sorrowful at her betrayed love, she remained in this world, unable to pass on.

"They say that she was the one who erected the wall, and placed a spell on it. And, the legend says that she remains in the garden to this day, forever protecting the item she had been killed over."

The end of the driver's story was met with silence. The passenger appeared to be deep in thought. 

A secret garden? 

A ghost? 

That seemed like just the thing Inuyasha needed to spend his time on. He would get through the so-called impenetrable wall, and prove that the grove really wasn't as enchanted as it was thought to be- if it was a garden at all. People who were of true spiritual blood, such as priests and priestesses were rare these days, the blood having been mixed with other types.

Not soon, the car pulled to a stop.

"Well, we're here."

Snapping out of his thoughts, Inuyasha got out of the cab. The driver opened the trunk, and hauled out the heavy suitcases. He dropped one on his toe and yelped, jumping up and down in pain mixed with surprise. Ignoring the injured cabby, the hanyou turned around. He could only stare at the huge building that rose before him. 

It was an ancient styled mansion that resembled those in the paintings from the feudal ages. It had obviously belonged to some rich lord, possibly the lord of a region. The house had obviously been reinforced through the years. Some of the walls looked newer than the others. It stretched on, and Inuyasha wondered vaguely just how many rooms there were in that place. 

Surrounding the mansion was a stretch of grass that was, in turn, encircled by a thin wall that outlined the courtyard. There were several gaps in the wall large enough for several people to walk through at once. He could just make out the fabled stone wall behind the residence.

"Whoa."

The driver, having recovered from the sudden pain, patted his passenger's shoulder. "Hey, so have fun in your new villa- lots to explore. Who knows? Maybe you'll be the one to enter the garden for 500 years."

Inuyasha paid the man for the ride, and he climbed back into his cab. 

"Hey. What's your name?"

The driver looked through the opened window. "My name? It's Houjo."

The hanyou nodded absently. "Right. Bye, Hobo."

Pulling out of the courtyard and onto the dirt road, the driver shouted back, "It's Houjo!"

Inuyasha waved once and turned his attention back to his new house. Walking up to it, he discovered that there were no locks on the sliding doors. There must have been no need for them. 

He shrugged. 

The area was safe enough, anyway. Besides, he cracked his knuckles, if there were any intruders, he would take care of them himself.

Carrying his heavy bags easily, Inuyasha slid open the main door, and stepped inside, breathing in the musky smell of a space unused. Glancing around, he found himself in an open room with a few sliding doors leading to different parts of the residence. There'd be some exploring to do.

He dropped the baggage.

"Well… I guess I'm home." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

[Yes -- I have started The Sealed Garden.

Originally "The Secret Garden", but 'Sealed' is more appropriate for the setting, ne?

I have yet to decide on the secondary genre: it's a war between Drama, Supernatural, Mystery, and [possible] Humour.

I'll just have to see how this story runs! ^-^

The legend was crudely told because… well… Houjo was telling it! ^_^;;

Till next time!] 


	2. Empty House

Disclaimer: Psh… I don't own any characters mentioned in this story. Scenario is mine though… sort of… like that's gonna hold.

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

- change in scenery or time

Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

{He dropped the baggage.

"Well… I guess I'm home."} 

[Review responses at the bottom] 

* * *

****

Chapter TWO:

Empty House

Inuyasha mentally cursed as he rounded a bend and came face to face with yet another dead end.

'How many fucking corridors can there be in this place?!'

It had been three days since he'd arrived at his inherited house, and he still hadn't completely gotten its layout. After he'd dumped his luggage in the front hall on that first day, he'd taken a mini tour of the place. Many of the ancient furnishings were still present; an example was that most of the rooms didn't have beds rather than flat futons. 

After a brief trip around some parts of the house, he'd quickly zeroed in on the largest bedroom with a real bed, throwing his suitcases onto the floor. 

In fact, they were still there today, him not having gotten around to packing just yet. 

Thankfully, the important appliances had been installed in certain rooms. Indeed, the kitchens were so well equipped that the hanyou was certain that he wasn't going to use a third of the devices there. In fact, the only thing he had eaten so far was: instant ramen- the food of the gods. The modern equipment gave the interior of the house a strange mixture of the past and present.

It really was a great place.

It was just too damn huge!

Three days he'd been here, and he'd already gotten lost countless times!

Inuyasha backtracked his way back to the outer chamber where the main entrance was located. He had explored the area behind the western door- where his bedroom was located and the eastern area. So far, the count was: 

34 bedrooms ('What the hell did they do with 34 bedrooms?'), 24 bathrooms, 6 dining areas ('And only two kitchens?'), and 2 open areas that he assumed had been used for gatherings. 

All of the rooms were equally divided on either side of the mansion. Four of the eating areas had been equipped with western styled dining utensils and furnishings, while the other two had remained a setting straight of out ancient Japan. While some of the sleeping rooms were elaborately set up, there were others, near the back of the house, where they were plainer. Two larger rooms were designed to accommodate more than one or two people- the servant quarters.

Several entertainment systems had been set up in the open areas, making them a lot like living rooms.

The eastern and western sliding doors at the main entrance lead to an extremely long hallway that stretched and bent around the corners of the enormous house. In reality, the two doors lead to the same long hallway, only in different directions. Along the walls of this corridor, were several doors leading to rooms. The kitchens were located on the side of the hallway nearer to the centre of the house. 

From the main corridor were the occasional smaller ones leading to more separate areas of the house. Others lead to doors to exit the place. Strangely (and infuriatingly) enough, a few hallways seemed to lead nowhere at all-

They'd just stop, smack into a wall, typically located around a corner. What they had been used for, Inuyasha had no clue at all. He really didn't care either.

They were just so freakin' annoying!

What he had learned about the design of the house was simple- one 'circular' hallway, rooms, and a few smaller ones. But the place was enormous. It had taken him two days just to get the gist of where each door lead- and he still got lost!

One question that kept bothering the hanyou was why his mother had been here in the first place, and why it was abandoned now. After all, if his mother had lived here, there must have been other people- servants, and family. Even if Izayoi had been an attendant here, there would have been other servants and their master.

Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders and faced the northern door. He'd find that out in the future-

After he got used to the blasted mansion.

As he pushed aside the shouji door directly across from the main entrance-the only one he had yet to open-Inuyasha frowned at the dim lighting in the area. Groping around on the wall to his left, his hand found the light switch, and flipped it on (Thank whoever installed electricity in this place). The entire place was suddenly flooded in light, and the hanyou had to briefly close his sensitive eyes.

Reopening them cautiously, he took in the room before blinking.

Then blinking again.

"What the hell?"

The hanyou's voiced echoed in the room, for room it was. The entire centre of the mansion was just one huge… chamber.

And by 'huge', he meant colossal. Gigantic. _Gargantuan_.

Hell, the whole thing took up the nearly the entire inner space of the house! 

'At least I can't get lost in here…' He thought dryly.

But on closer inspection, Inuyasha found that the place had actually been divided into a few sectors. There were no actual physical dividers, but the atmosphere of each area was enough to describe its use.

In the closer right corner from the entrance, the hanyou found a large scroll room. Shelves upon shelves rose up, one above another. Some held scrolls from back in the past when books had not come into existence in Japan. Yet more others were the keepers of the binded books. Examining the selection, Inuyasha saw that the books were divided into sections- Romance, Supernatural, etc, much like a library. Even the atmosphere was that of a quiet, undisturbed one.

To be honest, it was a little too stuffy for his taste.

But then he realised with excitement, that there was a rather large supernatural section that had been combined with some religious scrolls.

He'd have to stop by later.

Looking back from the library, Inuyasha walked to the area directly across the width of the room from it. This place was set up much like a dojo. The wooden floors had been partially covered with mats to soften falls. Looking up, he discovered that weapon upon weapon lined the walls. There were katanas of every size and make, bows, targets for the bows; just about every ancient weapon imaginable was here.

White dog-ears twitched appreciatively at the selection. This training area would be most useful to him. Almost unconsciously, a clawed hand reached out to examine one of the larger throwing knives, but Inuyasha stopped himself. The air of the section was tingling with a tension similar to that that came with sparring. It made one want to pick up a weapon; any weapon, and to just train.

But now was not yet the time for that.

Sighing, the young adult left that particular place, and headed towards the back of the room. About halfway into it, two large room-sized bumps emerged from the wall. 

Must be the kitchens.

Strolling casually forwards, Inuyasha walked to the area behind the bumps, and stopped dead at the open entrance of the section. 

"Whoa."

And 'whoa' was right.

The entire back of the room was a temple-like area. There was one large altar at the centre of the wall, allowing for people to pay tribute to the gods. The hanyou carefully stepped into the area, noticing the large concentration of purity forces at work in the area. 

As soon as his foot had been placed within the temple boundaries, he became aware of a tingling at his skin. It was as if the air itself wished to purify him of his youkai blood. Nerves on end, goosebumps arose on the back of Inuyasha's neck, and he shivered. He almost felt that the gods themselves were aware of the youkai blood on their sacred grounds, and wished to banish it.

Hurrying to the alter, Inuyasha quickly fell to his knees and practised what his mother had taught him long before. She had been Shinto, and this was clearly a Shinto shrine. He had never been too religious himself, only attending to the required activities. 

But now was the time for some extra worship. Closing his eyes, he prayed. 

Slowly, yet tangibly, the atmosphere calmed down. Recognising that he wasn't harmful, the temple grounds stilled. The hanyou stood up and breathed a sigh of relief. While he wouldn't have died from the purification, he would have been turned into a human- something he only wanted to encounter once a month.

That was one thing that was useful about being half-demon. It meant he was half-human too, and couldn't die from purification. On the many times he had visited Shinto shrines with his mother, the same incident had happened at different temples. Then, his mother had been there to comfort him as the purification did hurt a little. However, after the first encounter, the temples recognised his spirit, and he was allowed access without hassle.

Inuyasha frowned in thought.

So that was why there was a gateway in front of the entrance of the house- the place had probably been originally a temple before the living quarters were built around it. Examining the area, the hanyou took note of the white sand signifying the sacred grounds. To the right, there were several smaller altars to pay tribute to the smaller deities. He found that there wasn't a specific god being honoured at this temple. Rather, it was a place to pray to the gathered spirits.

Turning around, he faced the left side of the inner shrine. 

On the opposite wall was a large painting of some sort. Inuyasha approached it until he was directly in front of it. Drawn on delicate hand-made paper, it was of a small shrine with a person standing before it. The surrounding area was covered in large trees. But however beautiful the scenery was, the thing that most took the hanyou's breath away was the person- it was undoubtedly female.

A miko, to be exact.

She wore a pair of red coloured hakama that were untied at the ankles. Her white top, traditional for shrine maidens, had large, billowing sleeves. A long bow was slung over her shoulder along with a quiver of arrows.

In the picture, the girl was half looking towards the painter, her posture suggesting that she was headed into the shrine. A half-smile decorated her expression. Even from this proportional distance, Inuyasha could make out the kind blue-grey eyes. Long raven-black hair cascaded down her shoulders, falling freely down her back. 

She was beautiful.

The miko held her hands before her body at a slanted angle in the painting. For some reason, Inuyasha found himself trying to catch a glimpse of what she held, but to no avail. All he could see were white specks. 

Stepping back, the hanyou admired the effect of the entire picture. 

Then, his mind flashed back to the small 'talk' he'd had with that Hoko guy two days before. Was this the miko that the legend spoke of? And hadn't he said that she'd been protecting something of great power?

Inuyasha bent closer to the painting, squinting his eyes. He concentrated on what was in the priestess' hands. He had to know- what was she holding? But however hard he tried, he just couldn't make out what the painter had been trying to paint. Perhaps they hadn't meant to portray anything at all.

Sighing, he stepped back again, simply focusing his attention on the woman.

It was funny- he almost felt as though he had a connection with her.

The man shook his head. That painting was probably 500 years old! 

But then a pang struck at his heart where it shouldn't have. If that truly was the miko of the legend… she had died.

She had been betrayed.

'Unable to move on…'

The hanyou felt a great pity towards her. Then he frowned. He didn't even know if the legend was true or not, and he was already making assumptions. 

This house was making him soft.

Bowing one last time to the altar, Inuyasha began to walk out of the shrine- only to bump into something.

Or rather, someone.

"Oof!"

There was a thud as an elderly man fell down before the bewildered hanyou- how had this old coot entered the building without him knowing was beyond him. His eyes narrowed, doggy ears twitched, and a clawed hand reached out, grabbing the old man by the front of his clothes.

"What are you doing in my house, jiji?" was the threatening growl.

The man, obviously aged beyond his prime, glared at the younger one, and barked out an order, "Put me down, devil spawn!"

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. Devil spawn?

"You are trespassing on private property! As the keeper of this holy temple, I command you to get out, demon!" yelled the struggling man.

The hanyou stared at him listlessly. "Keeper of the temple?" His eyes travelled over the priest's robes, and he froze. 

Then promptly dropped the old man onto the ground.

"_You're_ the keeper of the shrine?" So that was why the place was so clean…

The man puffed himself up proudly, "I am the one and only keeper of this inner temple devoted to the gracious gods."

"And who exactly are you, old geezer?"

The hanyou was awarded with a slap to the forehead. "Old geezer? You should be more polite to your elders! I am Higurashi-san, and you may call me so."

Inuyasha frowned, not fazed in the slightest. "If you're the priest around here, then why haven't I seen you before?" 

Higurashi-san sniffed in annoyance. "I don't live here. I live in a small house further down the road. I come here every once in a while for my duties."

"Doesn't the shrine have to be cleaned every day?"

The old man froze, wheels obviously turning in his head. "Er… Well… You see…" Then he hit upon an explanation. "This place has been inhabited for years- there was no need to clean what was not dirty." His eyes then narrowed in suspicion. "And what are _you_ doing here, devil spawn?"

The hanyou didn't notice the old man's hand until it was too late…

"Ah ha! Demon be gone!"

…and he found himself with an ofuda spell plastered to his forehead. Doggy ears twitched in annoyance. 

Raising a clawed hand, he slowly peeled the useless piece of paper, letting it flutter to the ground. Higurashi-san's mouth dropped open in shock.

"My spell…"

Inuyasha continued to stare flatly at the man. "I'm the owner of this house, in which this temple is in." He put a finger to his lips in mock thoughtfulness. "And that makes me… your boss."

The expression on the old man's face couldn't have been more shocked at the revelation. Refusing to believe what the youngster had told him, the priest (who had absolutely no spiritual powers whatsoever) reached into his large sleeves and pulled out several more pieces of paper.

"Hya! Behold the purification!"

Paper with spell words written them now hung off Inuyasha's body. Somehow, the keeper of the shrine had been able to cover his entire body in pieces of white. 

What a spry old man he was.

Teeth grinding in irritation, the half-demon promptly tore off all of the spells, proving their fraudulent worth in plain sight of the senior. The cut up paper decorated the ground like a thin layer of snow.

He fell to his knees, bawling. "My ancient spells!"

Inuyasha's ears flattened onto his head to keep the sound from deafening him. "Shut up!"

Higurashi-san glared at him darkly. "And why should I?" He sniffed.

"Because I'm your boss…?"

"Liar! A demon could never be the owner of such a magnificent palace!"

"But I… arg! Keh!" He growled in frustration.

The senior began pushing Inuyasha towards the entrance. "Exactly! No proof, you go."

The hanyou stood his ground. "Listen, jiji, I am the inheritor of Inutaisho," he then added in a mumble, "one of them, anyway." He cleared his voice. "And my dad _gave_ this house to me in his will, got that? My mother used to live here."

The priest's expression had suddenly cleared up a little. "You are the child of the late Izayoi-sama?"

"Yeah…" The half demon raised an eyebrow. "So…?"

Higurashi-san suddenly beamed, bowing slightly before the now extremely surprised adult. "Why didn't you say so? Welcome to your new home, Inuyasha-sama!"

"You know my name?"

"Why of course! A letter was sent to me only four days before hand, announcing of the new master's arrival!"

A tick developed in Inuyasha's right eyebrow as he closed his eyes. "And why weren't you here to meet me three days ago?"

The senior rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I-ah… I forgot."

The tick only grew stronger. "And you still didn't know who I was when you saw me here?"

"I didn't expect the lovely Izayoi-sama's son to be so ugly."

Several veins erupted comically on the young adult's head, as he brought a fist down on the elder's head, eyes still closed. Breathing deeply, he lowered his fist.

He opened his golden orbs, glaring at the old man who now had a rather large bump on his head. "Well, now you know. And would you mind telling me why there aren't any people in this place?"

The expression on Higurashi-san's face abruptly became more serious. "You see, in the past, this great palace used to hold many people. In the elder days, when children were more polite to their elders," Here, he glowered pointedly at Inuyasha, "I worked here with many other servants for the rich household. There was a man, his wife, and his one and only daughter. They were a very respected people, and treasured their daughter greatly. However, one day…"

"One day…?"

The old man's voice rose in volume. "One day, the daughter was carried off by a horrible demon to become his bride! And she was never seen again, the end."

The tick came back with a vengeance. "You don't know, do you?"

The shrine keeper shrugged. "Oh I know. I just don't want to tell rude people like you,"

Inuyasha grabbed the older person by the front of shirt again, grinning rather menacingly. "Listen, old coot. Just tell me why this place is completely empty." His voice was deceptively calm, and his teeth were clenched.

Sniffing disdainfully, the keeper of the shrine gestured for the hanyou to put him down. Once his feet touched the ground once again, he deliberately brushed off the front of his clothes. 

"Well?"

Brush. Brush. Brush.

"I could relieve you of your duties, you know."

Higurasih-san raised his head. "Very well. I shall tell you the story of why the people left this castle."

"The true story."

"Yes, the true story."

A pause.

"Well? Get started, jiji."

The old man glared at the younger man. "Hush! Stories must not be hurried!"

"Well this one had better, or I'll be searching for another shrine keeper."

Eyes widening slightly, he quickly started his tale. 

"Izayoi-sama was the pride of her family. She was beautiful, intelligent, and extremely kind. Then one day, when she had barely completed her university education, the young mistress announced to her parents that she had become engaged to a man. Not only were they surprised that she had been seeing someone, more surprising was the fact that her fiancé was a demon!" Higurashi-san shook his head sadly. "I was there that day she told her poor father that she planned on moving to the city. He'd been on the verge of disowning her, but Izayoi-sama remained stubborn in her decision to marry whomever she pleased.

In the end, the mistress did move to the city. Her mother had already been quite sick, and after this event, her spirit failed her, and she passed on. The master's health also steadily declined upon the loss of not only his daughter, but his wife as well." He cast a sideways glance at Inuyasha, "Your grandfather was not a young man. Not soon, he too wasted away to join his wife. Perhaps it was best that they did not know of her pregnancy."

The hanyou's face remained passive at this story, even though he could feel the tinges of guilt at the edge of his mind. "And what happened to the servants?"

"They stayed in the mansion, hoping that the young mistress would return, but she never did. Many became impatient, and left. However, that was not what had driven most of the people away." 

He paused in his story.

"Well?" prompted Inuyasha.

Licking his lips, the old man continued, "You have heard of the legend of the garden, have you not?"

The half-demon nodded, ears straightening. "The one with the miko and all? Yeah."

He sighed. "Yes. Well, one day, when one of the maids was sweeping along side the stone wall, she chanced to glance upwards. She said that there had been an apparition of a most sad looking young maiden just above the wall. And when we asked her to describe how she looked, the maid said that it was the exact same person as the one portrayed there." 

The senior pointed towards the painting. "That painting was created about 500 years ago. Its painter is not known, but the subject is almost certainly the miko of legend. Whether it really depicts a real person, is a mystery"

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. So he had been right.

"The others became frightened, for they were superstitious people. Certain that Izayoi-sama would never return, they all packed their bags and left."

He stopped talking.

The hanyou blinked at Higurashi-san. "So why are you still here?"

He raised his chin. "I would never abandon my master's household. I would have waited for Izayoi-sama's return if-"

Inuyasha interrupted him, "You couldn't find another job, could you?"

The old man's head dropped dejectedly onto his chest. "No."

"Ah."

Inuyasha turned his attention back to painting. The maid had said that she had seen the miko on the garden wall. Whether she was to be believed, he didn't know. But one thing was certain-

He was now determined.

He would find a method to get into the garden.

One way or another.

He was going to crack this mystery.

* * *

Chapter Two…! 

Thanks to all my lovely reviewers:

-- Clearwater-Faerie:

Toronto! Yay! (It ain't called Hog Town for nothing…--;;)

-- FieryDemonFox:: 

I got my inspiration from Maiden of the Moon's 'Fragment of Eternity' (read it if you haven't already!), and asked her permission to write this fic. (they're different- I swear!)-- Just needed affirmation… And my title did come from 'The Secret Garden', but since I read the book years ago, I have absolutely no clue how it goes anymore. I just liked the title. ;;

-- SarcasmGirl8:

Fans? I have fans? ;; That makes me so happy (regardless if it's true or not --;;)! Thanks for reviewing for this fic, and all your reviews for the oneshots!

-- Flaming-Rosetta-Stone:

Heh. Yeah. Thanx for your review, and your others for the other stories as well! Merci Beaucoup!

-- Ayu-tateishi:

Is this soon enough? - 

-- kokoro:

I agree. Houjo is an idiot. A nice idiot… but an idiot none the less. ;;

Translation: 

Katana - Sword/Blade

[As I am at a minor road block in Lock Down, I have been spending a bit more time on this one. 

I'd bet my… er… horseshoe (horseshoe?) that some of you thought the person Inu bumped in would be Kags!

And the story is at that point where it can move the miko to either Kagome or Kikyou, notice the vague description? ::evil grin:: we'll just see what I have in store. But then I'd have to change the pairing… hnnn…

The shrine keeper was either going to be grandpa Higurashi or Toutousai. -- so this old man will be somewhat of a combo of the two. I don't know how I'm going to fit Sango, Miroku, Shippou, or Sesshoumaru in this fic, other than being extremely minor characters. Fluffy has served his purpose. But I do have roles for some of the other characters…

I just hope I can live up to expectations for this fic!

Well what do you know... quick edit has made my life a little easier... 

Till next time… (I seem to have a habit of saying this…)

Ja!]


	3. Sighting

Disclaimer: The day I own Inuyasha is the day that hell freezes over. Now that was depressing…

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

- change in scenery or time

--Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

{He would find a method to get into the garden.

One way or another.

He was going to crack this mystery.}

--[Review responses at the bottom]--

* * *

****

Chapter THREE:

Sighting

"I'm coming, damnit!"

Inuyasha jogged towards the main entrance of the house. Having lived here for 5 days had finally given him the knowledge of where everything was, and he no longer got lost in his own house. But that didn't make getting from one point to another any faster.

The doorbell gave another impatient ring.

"Fuckin…" he turned the final corner, and the shouji door came within sight.

The hanyou had been at the very back of the house, installing a new computer in a spare room when the doorbell had rung. Since he had never had any visitors before (the old codger didn't count), Inuyasha had been quite surprised. So he ignored it, thinking it was some salesman looking to try and sell something. However, the person had persisted.

Sliding the door back with a loud slam, the irritated hanyou walked across the small room to pull back the door leading out of the house.

"Yes?!"

Standing outside of the house was a man who had long black hair that was pulled into a ponytail at the back of his head. Unusual red eyes stood out from his face, and an almost evil smirk curled at the ends of his lips. But once Inuyasha blinked, the smile had become friendlier, and the red eyes had disappeared, to be replaced by brown ones.

He rubbed his eyes. 'What…?' He could have sworn that this guy had youkai blood in him, but now, he smelled purely of a human being…

It must have been his imagination.

The man smiled coolly, and bowed shallowly. "Good morning, Inuyasha-sama." His voice was smooth.

Returning the gesture, the hanyou raised an eyebrow. How did this guy know his name? Golden eyes narrowed in suspicion and took in the visitor's attire. A crisp black suit was accented by polished shoes. It was a far cry from his own baggy jeans and T-shirt. This person looked dressed for business.

The only type of 'business' he had been associated with being negative, Inuyasha acted on pure reflex. "Whatever it is, I didn't do it!"

The man chuckled, "No, Inuyasha-sama. I assure you, you have done nothing. I just have a matter with over which I must discuss to you. If we could move to a more comfortable setting…?"

"I'm fine right here." He remained stiff, not about to let some stranger into his own house.

The stranger was not fazed in the slightest. "Very well then. I gather that you are the new owner of this magnificent mansion?"

"Yeah. So what?"

"You are aware that the previous owners died of grief over a misbehaving daughter?"

Inuyasha's distrust for the man grew. "Your point?"

He smiled serenely. "You see, when I was younger, an… item of my possession had been stolen and left in this area. Over the years, it had not been found, but I had an agreement that should this item be found, it would be returned to me immediately. I am a simple business man working on the border of Kyoto, and I would greatly appreciate your co-operation."

Not willing to trust the man, Inuyasha inquired of the issue further, "What's it look like?"

Almost as if he were aware of his intentions, the man's tone had taken on an almost amused quality. "It's almost worthless to most people, really. Just a small glass marble about the size of a robin's egg. Smaller, even. It is of a pink hue, sometimes appearing to be purple. If it is found, I can guarantee a most generous reward."

"If it's so worthless, then why do you want it?"

"It may have little market value, but its sentimental worth…"

A nagging doubt kept on eating away at Inuyasha's mind. "What makes you so sure it's on my property?"

The barest of aggression flickered over the man's face, only to be smoothed over by calmness again. This guy was even worse than Sesshoumaru. "Because it was given to one of the people who lived here to be watched over, but she died, and the marble wasn't seen again. This was the last place it had been kept."

The dog-eared man suddenly had the desire to get as far away as physically possible from the stranger. His smooth demeanour, indeed, even the air surrounding him all spoke of hidden agendas. "Fine. Fine. If I find this thing, you'll be notified. How will I reach you?"

The man gave his cellular phone number to Inuyasha, smiling once more. "I'm glad we have reached an agreement, Inuyasha-sama." He turned away from the door.

A thought struck the hanyou. "Wait." The stranger paused in his stride. "What's your name?"

The man hesitated, and should Inuyasha had seen his face, the hanyou would have seen the cruellest of smirks on his mouth. There was a pause in sound, and Inuyasha felt himself holding his breath. Why, he did not know, but it was clear that this man was a lot more than what he introduced himself as.

The silence was broken, "… You may call me… Naraku. Naraku Onigumo."

And he was gone.

* * *

Inuyasha jumped, brandishing the katana he held in his hand, and brought it down on a wooden target.

"Hyaaa!"

He had been training for several hours now, just having gotten around to testing out the dojo's equipment. The hanyou had never had much interest in archery, but the collection of other weapons had been astounding- far better than any public training place.

Most of the ancient styled weapons had rarely been used before, although a select few were quite worn. Most of the bows had been used quite often in the past. Though by whom, and to do what, Inuyasha didn't know. So far, he himself had tried several of the different sized swords, and was going to get around to using the twin blades.

Sweat ran down his athletically toned body, as he had discarded the shirt as soon as he had begun training. He was tanned from constant exposure to the sun, and no scars marred the smooth skin. That was one advantage to having demon blood- one healed quickly and efficiently.

Silver hair had been pulled back into a tie to keep it from interfering with his vision, and doggy ears were trained for any indications of intrusion. He practised bare-footed, never really liking to wear shoes in any setting, and he was dressed in a sole pair of work shorts.

If one were to watch him perform, they would be convinced that Inuyasha was, indeed, a professional martial artist and expert in handling weapons. Yet strangely enough, he had never really received any in depth lessons about all of the different ways to handle a weapon. The hanyou had taught himself by studying techniques, and trying them out for himself.

Pausing in his workout, Inuyasha tilted his head back, cracking his neck. He then walked over to a wall and replaced the twin blades. Taking a brief drink from a cooled water bottle, golden eyes scanned the walls for the next weapon to test.

There were throwing knives, doubled edged swords, flat sided daggers, spears, you name it, and it was here.

But wait-

He caught site of a katana that was kept on a wall away from the others. It had its own space, and was encased in a glass box. Curiously, Inuyasha approached the sword, and leaned in closer to read writing on a metal plate just above it.

"Tetsusaiga?"

Just then, the half demon became aware of a familiar scent approaching.

He groaned.

Not him again.

"Hello, brat."

"Back to you, old man."

It was Higurashi-san, who had returned after two days absence to attend to the cleaning needs of the shrine, and to offer some worship to the gods. Their last meeting, being their first, had ended up with the old man accepting the fact that the mansion would have a new residence. He had returned home in a huff, insisting that he would be back before long to make sure that Inuyasha wasn't 'desecrating the house'.

The senior walked up to the hanyou. "I see you are studying the Tetsusaiga."

Inuyasha turned his attention to the priest. "You know about it?"

"Indeed. It has a long history dating back to when the land was divided into regions, each overseen by a powerful demon. This sword is said to have belonged to the great Lord of the Western Lands. Some say that it was forged from the fangs of that great dog demon itself. It has the power to cut through magical barriers!"

"How'd it get here?" It seemed as though he was asking a lot of question today…

"The young mistress Izayoi had brought it here before her announcement of engagement. She said that it was a gift from her fiancé to her parents to win their approval. Her parents had rejected it, but Izayoi placed it here, encasing it in glass. I, myself, have never before seen the actual blade itself."

The half-demon reached out to open the small door on the side of the box.

"Stop!" The old man was suddenly between him and the sword.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Higurashi-san shook his head. "You can't touch it. Several years ago, some demons came to try and bargain for the Tetsusaiga, but when they attempted to remove the katana, they were shocked. Whoever has demon blood flowing through their veins cannot break through the powerful seal placed on the sword, and it will reject them."

"Move aside, old man. I just want to try."

The priest hesitated before grudgingly shuffling out of his way. "If you get shocked, it's not my fault," was the grumbled warning.

The dog-eared man pulled the small door open, and reached inside the box to take hold of the sword's sheath. He tensed in anticipation as his clawed hands grabbed onto the wooden cover, but nothing happened. He turned a dry glance at the old man.

"Well?"

The keeper of the shrine shook his head. "The barrier comes into affect when one tries to draw the katana from its sheath. Simply touching it will not activate the seal."

Inuyasha placed a hand on each of the sheath and the Tetsusaiga's handle. There were a few preliminary sparks, and Higurashi-san took several steps back.

"I told you so…"

Snorting softly, the hanyou exerted strength in pulling the handle, and without warning, the blade suddenly came free from its sheath. Having expected for the katana to put up more of a struggle, Inuyasha was left with extra strength that promptly threw him off balance, landing on the floor with a thump.

"Dammit…" He threw a victorious glance backwards up at the old man. "Couldn't draw the sword, eh, jiji?"

The elder stared at the dog-eared man in disbelief. "You… pulled it out?"

"Heh." Inuyasha turned his attention back to the sword in his hand. His gaze turned deadpanned. "_This_ is the legendary Tetsusaiga?"

"Of course it is! A blade with the power to kill a hundred demons in one swing!"

Standing up, the half demon turned around. He thrust out the katana into the senior's face. "This is some rusty, _useless_ blade that couldn't even cut paper… wet!" Verily, the katana he held really was quite beaten up, with dozens of scratches littering the surface and spots of rust over it. This looked hardly like the fabled sword of legends. "Old man, you've been gypped."

Higurashi-san stared at the blade. "But surely, that is the Tetsusaiga! Mistress Izayoi told us herself!"

"Maybe my mother didn't get her facts straight." Inuyasha sheathed the blade and placed it back into its glass case. "Or maybe this really is the legendary katana. Maybe it's just been worn down through the ages." The door shut with a click. "At any rate, it isn't of any use to me right now. Maybe I'll sell it to some collector later…"

The priest's mouth dropped wide open in shock. "Sell the Tetsusaiga?! Are you insane? Even if it isn't of any use in combat, it is still a priceless heirloom that should remain in this family…"

The hanyou turned around with a raised eyebrow. "I was kidding. Don't get all worked up." He picked up his shirt from the ground and pulled it on. "Besides, even if I did want to get rid of the useless thing, you couldn't stop me." Inuyasha stood up and made his way towards the main entrance. "Now, if you would excuse me, I'm going to take a shower. Have fun cleaning."

Higurashi-san stood, glaring disapprovingly at the spot where the younger man had disappeared. He 'hmphed' and walked into the mini-shrine, picking up a broom.

"Kids these days…"

"I heard that!"

"Heard what?"

"Keh!"

* * *

"Good. He's gone."

Inuyasha stepped into the main entrance once he'd made sure that the old man had left. After training, the shower had helped to relieve his nerves during that confrontation with 'Naraku'. All through the morning, he'd been thinking about that strange man, and how fake he had appeared to be. The training had only provided a distraction for his thoughts, but with that done, he needed something new to do.

What to do… Where to go…

Then, his thoughts turned to the garden.

It was about time he checked it out. At any rate, there wasn't anything else that Inuyasha had to do. All through the past five days, he had been busy examining and working on his house to really do anything recreational. In fact, if he thought about it, it'd been two days since he'd last been outside to just have fun.

The hanyou slid open the main entrance and walked outside, shielding his eyes from the bright afternoon sun. It was the summer, and the temperature of the days in this area could easily rocket into the high thirties. Luckily, the house had come equipped with AC and heating.

Inuyasha surveyed the perimeter of his property and was suddenly struck by how lonely it was here. He had never really lived alone, either living in a house full of servants, or with a roommate. But now, here he was, in the middle of countryside, in a huge mansion, living all his lonesome self. The nearest house was a good ten miles down the road, and Inuyasha had yet to buy a car. -Not that he'd really visit his neighbours…

The golden-eyed man made his way around the house, taking almost longer that five minutes to reach the back. He could have saved himself a lot of time by simply using the smaller doors located on the sides of the house, but he hadn't surveyed the extent of his property just yet. The surrounding land was a spacious area with a small man-made stream running along the sides. There was a small bridge extending from one side of the stream to the other, and as he neared the back, he noticed a small fishpond at either corner of the back yard.

Upon closer inspection, Inuyasha found that the entire property was based on symmetry and balance. Where there was one bridge, another one mirrored it on the other side of the house. In fact, even in the mansion itself, the different room each had a counterpart on the other side.

Then, just past where the river bent to run along the back of the year, the stones of the legendary wall came into view. A solitary bridge of white stone stretched across the river, leading to the enclosed area. The hanyou could only gape at the sheer height of the thing.

"Holy shit."

It was so high that even the half demon was certain that he wouldn't be able to leap over it. It rose easily five times Inuyasha's height, ending at the top with a flat row of worn down stones.

The half demon jogged around the enclosed space that seemed to be about one third of the area of the house itself, He could find no doors- at least, doors that weren't covered by the thick growth on the lower wall. It seemed as though the plants grew _on_ the wall, rather than through the cracks. Every square inch was covered in green, and not a single speck of grey interrupted the colouring. However, there were small flowers dotted here and there, growing among the twisting vines. The flowers came in all the different colours of the spectrum. Of what kind they were, he could not tell.

He had completed a full circle around the structure, and could find no evidence of entry. The half demon studied the wall. As his gaze moved higher, Inuyasha noticed that that the vines thinned out near the middle, and then receded so the upper wall was left completely bare. He reached out a clawed hand and tentatively touched the overgrowth.

Nothing happened. These so-called 'magical' vines felt no different from normal ones.

"Psh. It's just a bunch of plants," dismissed the half demon. He cracked his knuckles, readying the sharp claws. Then, the hanyou suddenly brought his right hand down. "Sankon Tetsusou!"

At first, it seemed as the attack had worked as leaves fell from the wall, and vines littered the floor before the wall. An adequate chunk of the greenery fell to the ground with a soft thump. Inuyasha could clearly see the grey stone, and raised his right foot to kick through it. A smirk made its way onto his face. But just as his bare foot came into contact with the wall, there was a sudden pulse, and the hanyou was thrown clear across the grass…

"Uwah!"

…and into the waiting river.

Surfacing from the cold water, Inuyasha spluttered irritably. "Damn it! I just took a fucking shower!"

He climbed out of the river, silver hair sticking to his back and face. The half-demon stood up and shook himself dry, much in the fashion of a dog. He raised his gaze back to the wall and glared darkly at it. The space that had been cleared was once again, covered in a new growth of vines. The flowers seemed to twinkle innocently at him.

'Stupid enchantment…'

Suddenly, the sound of light laughter reached his ears. The dog-ears twitched, and Inuaysha frowned. It was extremely faint, almost as if it was from far away. A subtle scent invaded his nose, and it smelled almost… like the freshness of spring. The scent was like a fresh breeze of wind carrying a hint of spring flowers. It came from…

…but it had to be impossible! The scent seemed to originate from the garden itself!

Slowly, almost cautiously, the hanyou raised his gaze along the vine-covered wall. As the stone became more prevalent, his nerves began to tense. There was an almost tangible tingling in the air. A strong wind picked up, circling around Inuyasha and blowing torn leaves around him in a swirl.

Golden eyes continued to travel upwards, and then they widened in pure and absolute shock.

'Wh- what the hell?!'

A pair of sandal-covered feet had entered his vision, and even as he looked up, red fabric joined them, followed by a pair of delicate entwined hands. Then, the red cut off, and was replaced by white. Finally, raven locks covered the white, and his sight stopped on a face.

A strangely familiar face.

Gold rested on ocean blue, and Inuyasha's heart stopped beating. His mouth dropped open.

"You…"

It was her.

The girl from the painting.

It must be! She was sitting on top of the stone wall!

Even from this distance, he could make out the small smile on her face. Light laughter reached his twitching ears. Yet in those eyes, those deep blue eyes, there was a layer of pain and sadness.

He stepped closer.

Then stopped.

There was something wrong with that girl.

"What-?"

She seemed almost translucent, as if she weren't completely there. In fact, he could just make out the contours of the rocks behind her through her hakama. Raven hair blew gently in the wind that seemed to have only just picked up. Inuyasha stood, transfixed by the vision in front of him. She was so… otherworldly.

"Who… are you?"

There was no answer as she seemed to steadily study him.

An unexpected snap of twigs snapped him out of his daze, and the hanyou whipped his gaze to his right on reflex.

There was nothing there.

But once he raised his eyes to the top of wall again, he found nothing. He searched desperately for the slight indication of a person having been there, anything at all, but there was absolutely nothing at all.

"Where…?"

She was gone.

That is, if she had ever been there to begin with.

But as if sensing that Inuyasha had begun to doubt his eyes, a soft wind blew around him, carrying with it the scent of spring. The familiar tingling of soft laughter reached his ears even thought there was no source of it. He closed his eyes, suddenly calm, and he knew.

It hadn't been an illusion.

The legendary spirit truly was real.

Now he just needed to figure out how to get through with her.

* * *

Chapter THREE (obviously)

Thanks to all my lovely reviewers… you guys inspire me to write more since _someone_ coughbetacough refuses to help me on this story… However, she seems to have no aversion towards bugging me to write for LD…:

-- Katami:

Thanks for the compliment! And the review too!

-- Inuyasha Chick210: 

Movie? Which movie? And, the romance will come soon. I'll look into your suggestion when, and if he finds a way to enter the garden…

-- animemistress419:

Thanks for your review! I'm trying to type these chapters out as fast as I can with all these interruptions…!

-- FieryDemonFox:

Mystery? Then what did _this_ chapter do? Add more mystery? I sure hope so… Thanks for the review!

-- Clearwater-Faerie:

Who doesn't? But alas, not everybody is as rich as he is… you think he'll give it away once the story's done? Oh lala…

-- Samieko

I fully intend to stick by this story to the end… Thanks for the review!

-- kokoro

Miss sadfacepoopohead? o.O Okay… I'm not sure what to say to that one… .;; But he'll get into the garden soon… I hope.

-- Sarcasm Girl8

Review responses? Yeah. So, did this chapter provide any clues on how he's going to get in? And… Kagome? Did I say anything about Kagome? innocent expression I fully intend to keep you people doubting my motives till I reveal everything… XD (It's not working, is it? -.-)

-- sashlea

Isn't he? He is now a combination of Toutousai, Higurashi-ji-chan, _and_ Myouga. I just can't figure out a way to have them all in the story… -.-;;

-- Love ur story .

A rock or a bush? That could be a fitting role for Kikyou, but no, she's not going to be non-existent. She'll play a (be it a minor) part in Kag's life while she… whoops! I've said too much! Thanks for the review!

-- Poison Death Tree

Interesting penname! Thanks for the review, and- 10/10? Wow. Thanks!

Translation:

Hakama - pants

[What is there to say? I may have gotten a little… descriptive somewhere near the beginning half of the chapter… (Oooh… shirtless Inuyasha) Keep in mind that Japanese names have the family name _before_ the given name, so in the Americas, he would be: Onigumo (given) Naraku (last).

Now, let's have a vote:

Inuyasha/Kagome or Inuyasha/Kikyou?

My mind is pretty much already set (Inu/Kag all the way, baby!), but I'm just interested in what you readers out there like… And, any guesses as to how he'd going to get in?

Ugh. I've gotten used to typing in HTML format, and now I can't switch back to Word. Just when fanfiction.net decides to allow .doc documents, I can't revert back to it… -.-;; Oh well. I'll just have to use quickedit more often… Thank heavens for that.

Till next time…

Ja!]


	4. Discovery

Disclaimer: I plan on stealing Inuyasha, then using him to fulfil my plans of conquering the world. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that…

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

--Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

{It hadn't been an illusion.

The legendary spirit truly was real.

And he was going to find out why.}

--[Review responses at the bottom] --

****

Chapter FOUR:

Discovery

A dog-eared man sat amidst an extremely large pile of books and different scrolls. He was reading- or at least attempting to read- several books all at once. He appeared to be in silent contemplation, eyebrows drawn together in deep thought.

The seconds passed by in undisturbed silence.

Suddenly, he threw all of the books in his hands away, closing his eyes in frustration. "Damnit! There isn't _anything _in this whole place about the garden!" The shout echoed throughout the otherwise empty room.

Indeed, Inuyasha had taken to digging through the resources at hand for information about the sealed garden in his backyard, or even anything related to it that would be of helf. Ever since he had personally sighted the ghostly apparition of the deceased miko, the hanyou had taken up searching the Internet for any details at all.

However, the only findings he had come up with were the legend he already knew, and thousands of variations of it. Among those, or course, were the results that had absolutely nothing to do with his search. There were legends where the miko had really killed herself. Ones where it had described the legend as not involving a demon, but a hanyou. He had filtered through literally thousands of resources and stories.

And strangely enough, one search had come up with a story about some old lady and her cat.

How that related to 'garden', 'miko' and 'legend', baffled the man.

He'd searched enchantments, magical shrubs, spiritual powers; anything that he could think of that could be related to any way of how to enter the garden, but although he'd found many sites, none had been of any use to him. Also, he'd discovered that his problem was a rather original one.

So, in light of his rather unsuccessful Internet research, Inuyasha had retreated to an older source that was quite literally, right in his own home.

The library.

After all, the people who had lived in this place beforehand _must_ have kept an archive of information about these types of things, right? The old man had told him that many of the previous residents had been quite superstitious. Not to mention the house had a small shinto shrine in it- it was bound to have records.

But as of now, the great search had turned up no terribly promising results.

Inuyasha sighed and stood up, stretching his muscles. He had spent a good four whole days looking for information on any sightings that had been reported in the past. Four days had passed since he himself had witnessed the spirit of the miko. It had been four very unsuccessful days of looking through book after book, scanning manuscript after manuscript. Here, too, there were variations of the legend that had been chronicled by one person or another. There were the occasional

In all honesty, just sitting here was getting tiring to the hanyou. He had never been too much of a book guy, preferring to act things out first hand rather than strategise or research. Even in university, when it was time to study, he had, more than a few times, skipped the studying to go out with his friends.

The golden-eyed man checked his watch, noting that it was almost nine o'clock. He'd already eaten dinner, and finished his training session. It was still way too early for bedtime, so what else was there to do?

He sighed yet again, and treaded through the pile of books to another shelf. Bleary eyes stared at the rack-full of books, not really seeing it.

Was this really worth it?

Sacrificing his time just to find some way into some sealed garden that had been closed off to the world for five hundred years- if others couldn't find a way to get through, what made him any different? Inuyasha dropped to the floor with a thump, crossing his legs. He tilted his head back, closing his eyes.

Sure, he was interested in these things, but really, were his goals that realistic? Did he want to spend his entire life trying to do something that was probably impossible?

After all, the spells of priestesses were pretty powerful, and if this one was a pure miko, there was no telling what the extent of her spiritual abilities was. He had no way of knowing whether or not she was strong enough to have erected a spirit shield around the garden.

Although phantoms weren't entirely unheard of, it was pretty rare to actually be involved in a case involving a truly restless spirit. Most of those stories that one heard around the campfire were completely false, and made up to stir up unease. It actually was uncommon for a spirit to be unable to move on after they died. In most cases, they were able to journey to the afterlife peacefully.

The hanyou spread out and flipped around so that he was lying facedown.

For all he knew, this entire thing could have been something made up by the local residents who just happened to have lucked out with the garden being impenetrable and all.

…

Inuyasha didn't believe that.

Not when he'd seen her with his own eyes.

And smelt what must have been her scent.

His nose didn't lie.

And then he recalled the image of that girl. She had looked no older than he himself was. She had seemed so young, so pure, and so… sad.

He'd once been told that in the Americas, some of the First People there described people who had experienced great loss or sadness as having 'sky-eyes'. It would seem like the person's eyes were so far away and sorrowful, that they reflected the sky's great blue expanse.

From what he had seen of that phantom girl, she would most definitely be described as somebody with 'sky-eyes'. Although whether that was due to the fact that she was partially transparent, or that her soul really was mournful, he wasn't able to tell.

Inuyasha's eyes focused, and he suddenly realised that he would do whatever he could to try. After all, he really didn't have anything else to do except loiter around and waste his brother's money. That was the main reason for his existence right now- try his best to screw Sesshoumaru up. There wasn't a huge market for people who were in his line of work- investigating supernatural matters, and he didn't really need a job. Better to leave any available positions for those who really needed them.

So to keep himself from dying from absolute boredom, why not focus his attention on this one project?

At least, for a while.

The silver-haired man began to stand up, but unexpectedly tripped over a book he had thrown earlier. Eyes wide in complete and utter shock, Inuyasha could find nothing to hold onto as he quickly toppled over towards a large scroll rack on the wall.

"Shit!"

Almost in slow motion, the entire thing drifted closer, and in a last desperate attempt to steady himself, the hanyou pushed onto the upper side of it.

Not a wise move, dog-boy.

He just had to hit over the centre of gravity…

The whole shelf, weighing at least two hundred pounds, went crashing to the ground, throwing scrolls everywhere, and landing on the ground with a resounding thud. Fortunately, Inuyasha had completed his goal of remaining upright- at the expense of four hundred years worth of shrine recordings.

As the dust cleared, the hanyou tentatively opened his eyes to survey the damage.

And winced.

"Awww fuck."

The scriptures had all been scattered, and the shelf they had rested on lay on its side, miraculously still intact. However, the parchment hadn't been as lucky, having been strewn around the area, and he was certain that some were underneath that heavy wooden case, steadily being crushed. Some of those scriptures had been centuries old, and were probably damaged underneath all that mess.

He really was in deep shit now.

An entire section of the wall had been revealed from behind the moderately large shelf. It was only through pure luck that that was the one rack that had been isolated from the others, or else the collision would have caused a wonderfully destructive chain reaction throughout the entire room. It would have procured an result known as 'the domino effect'. So, the hanyou certainly was quite lucky in that aspect.

Inuyasha groaned and flopped onto his stomach.

He _so_ did not want to clean that up right now.

Amber-gold eyes swept lazily across the wooden floor of the book room. The perspective from down here was a little strange, everything appearing to be so much bigger than if he were standing up straight. The half-demon lazily noted that the part of the wall that had been covered by the shelf was several shades darker, attesting to the fact that that scroll rack had been there for a _long_ time.

His eyes crossed as movement was spotted directly in front of his face.

Oh look… There was a rather large earwig crawling past his nose…

The hanyou sighed heavily, flicking the insect to some obstruct corner, and started to stand up. That was some mess to straighten, and even if he didn't want to clean it all up at this very hour, it would probably be best to do a little organising first.

But wait.

"What the hell?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, and he moved closer to the wall, crouching in front of the dark portion. There appeared to an extremely thin line tracing around a rectangle at the bottom of the wooden wall. In fact, if he didn't know better… The silver-haired man reached out a hand and traced over the line- it was a crack! And was that- yes it was!

Grooved into one of the sides of the rectangle, there was a small, almost unnoticeable hold. Experimentally, the hanyou pushed inwards, blinking in surprise as the rectangle sunk in by a few millimetres, then stopped. He pushed along the side and the piece of wall slide along a furrow in the base into the neighbouring wood.

His eyebrows furrowed, for what had been hidden behind that small panel was an opening of the same size. At first, there appeared to be nothing in it, but then Inuyasha noticed that the hole continued downwards in a small rectangular cavity. He removed the small piece of wood partially covering the indent, and found several scrolls that appeared to be extremely old.

Curiosity sparked, an excitement began to grow in the hanyou. This was definitely something that hadn't been touched in years- decades, maybe even centuries! He took out all of the scrolls, and a small booklet that was nothing more than pieces of hand-made paper painstakingly tied together with thick string. Somebody had obviously gone to great lengths to keep a record of… whatever it was.

That was what he was going to find out.

The half-demon carefully placed the fragile parchment onto the floor and slid the panel back to where it was. He then stood up, examining the area in which it laid from a person's usual perspective.

It was invisible.

Even to his eyes, the entire wall looked to be smooth. The small indents were positioned in such a way that they were completely invisible. There was absolutely no indication of anything out of the ordinary from this point of view. Adding in the fact that the section of the wall had been covered with a shelf, only made Inuyasha sure that he was the first to discover the secret section from when it had been created.

The hanyou flicked his attention over the surrounding area, and promptly dropped to the ground on the spot, blatantly ignoring the mess he had created only minutes before.

'If I can't see it, it's not there.'

He leaned slightly against the wall, having crossed his legs again.

The half-demon pulled over a small scroll, unrolling it cautiously, and read its contents. The writing was that from ancient Japan, and Inuyasha was barely able to recognise some of the more picturesque characters. Then, there was also the fact that some of the writing had become faint with age.

'Useless.'

He pushed it off to a side and selected another one.

This too, was soon discarded.

One by one, the young adult read each of the scrolls, not gaining any new knowledge about any miko in particular, but learning about how the village that used to stand here was set up. There were articles on new births, youkai attacks, sicknesses, a number of things, but no mention of betrayal or forbidden dealings.

Then he picked up another.

'Hey… What's this?'

Inuyasha leaned in closer to examine the final separate scroll. Parts of it were completely illegible from centuries of wear.

_"… We have built a new…to replace the one that was destroyed. …died in the battle, as did the evil youkai who attacked us. …tama has disappeared, but perhaps that is not so much a downfall as a rise in fortune. Never again, will such an item of great power plague our village…" _

With every legible sentence, Inuyasha's excitement grew. He was finally getting somewhere with this. Squinting, he inspected the short entry, trying to make out what the 'item of great power' was.

Something-tama.

A jewel of some sort?

It was of no use. Whatever the scroll had read had long been erased by the agent of time, and was far too faint for even his excellent eyesight to pick up. But this was the closest primary source of information that he had found so far that was linked to what he was searching for.

It was just too short to provide too much of a use.

Apprehension started to form a pit in the hanyou's stomach as he turned his gaze to the final item that he had taken from the indent. Placing the previous scroll aside, away from the others, he picked up the binded pages carefully, leaning back against the wall as he did so.

He turned to the first page, and a short entry of smooth, flowing script greeted his eyes. These pages had been much more well preserved, making every page almost completely legible to the inu-hanyou.

_"The tama was brought to our humble village today. She who is like a sister to me has been entrusted with its keeping and purification. We must all strive towards protecting this item, for if it falls into the wrong hands, destruction will come to us all…" _

Inuyasha was immediately absorbed into the writing, reading every page; every note. For the next pages, battles that had gone into protecting the 'tama' were described in great detail by whoever kept record of such events. Soon, it became clear that whatever the item was, was certainly extremely powerful, and we sought after by demons and humans alike. It had been entrusted to a miko, and the writer too, was unmistakably a priest or a priestess, for only the people who served in temples really knew how to write. Learning such things was impractical when one was a farmer, for they couldn't use the knowledge.

No dates were kept, but in the upper right corner of every note, there was a small circle that as filled in partially, showing the position of the moon on the night that it had been written.

The next entry that caught his full attention went as follows:

_"She saw him again. Lately, that youkai has been frequenting our village more often, yet she does not kill him. I am certain that he is after the tama, but she will not listen to my warnings. I am almost certain that she is doing the forbidden… I am almost certain that she is falling in love with him…" _

In love with him? Him who?

It seemed as though the legend was unfolding before his very eyes from a firsthand account of what had happened. He had gotten through almost a third of the book. The lights flickered breifly, and Inuyasha raised his gaze to the lights above. Then, he checked his watch.

It was already ten o'clock.

It was still quite early.

He resumed reading.

"I know now. The youkai is courting her, and she does not discourage his advances. I should stop this. I should report her to the village… But she is too dear a friend to me, much like a second sister. I am torn between duty and friendship. What can I do?"

This entry had been recorded as a full cycle of the moon after the previous. The hanyou fisted his hand in exasperation. Not once, was there ever any mention of names in what he had read. Perhaps there would be more information as he read on?

The next few pages described some events that had passed in the village, and from the data provided, Inuyasha concluded that this journal had been kept from the days five hundred years in the past. It came from a time when youkai were immortal entities, and priests and priestesses possessed powerful spiritual powers. Since those times, the unique powers of the priests and demons had diminished with the rise of technology.

Inuyasha read on, noting that several more entries in the log were also about the struggle of the writer between revealing her friend, and fellow miko, or trying to convince her that the youkai was decieving her.

_"I confronted her today after watching him depart. She was surprised, but denied nothing. She truly does love him, and trusts him. However, how can she be so sure? Does her love cloud her judgement? I would not know. I have never loved…" _

Finally, as the time passed by, Inuyasha neared the end of the pages until he had reached the third page from the end. The tension within him mounted.

_"Something has happened. I have feel it in my very spirit. I will have to tighten my bow and ready my arrows tonight. Something is going to happen very soon."_

His nerves stretched on end and trepidation gripped at the edge of his heart. As much as he hated to admit it, the journal entries of this miko had stirred something deep within him, making him feel as though he were there, experiencing every event with her. she really was excellent at building suspense.

He came to the second to last entry.

_"They are coming. He has shown his true colours. I will fight- be it to the end."_

This was by far, the shortest entry, and the page was partially stained by a dark liquid that looked suspiciously like blood. The half-demon bent closer to the book and sniffed- that was definitely blood, although the scent was extremely faint, having weathered the effects of time.

With apprehension, the hanyou turned to the final page in the journal, and was greeted by an entirely different style of writing. This script was less smooth in appearance, yet no less effective as the words concluded the story that had drawn Inuyasha into its depths. Some of the words had been blotched by what he could only assume to have been tears, and a few drops of blood stained the words.

_"…Onee-sama was killed in the fight for the tama, as was its protector. That youkai that had lead the village to believe he was harmless had died at the arrow of the one he had betrayed. Our village has suffered great losses, but none as great as the death of Onee-sama and one of our best friends… "The villagers have agreed to constructing a… around where the shrine that housed the …no tama. A great wooden door will be set in front so that we will be able to come and go in honour of those who protected the tama. I will take over the duties as protector of this village in the stead of my sister, for I am now of age._

"The daimyou decided to build his palace here, and I store these manuscripts in a compartment…"

The rest of the paragraph was too blotched to be read properly, and after a few minutes of fruitless attempts, the half-demon read on.

_"May the souls of Kikyou-onee-sama and Kagome-chan rest in peace now, and forevermore._

"-Kaede"

Inuyasha held the book in his hands, its weight seeming to have doubled in the time he had taken to read the entire thing. Not only that miko had died, but many others in that battle. Everything here confirmed most of the events of the legend he had been told. But he thirsted for more.

"Kagome. Kikyou." Both were female names. Both had died One was most likely the miko trapped in the garden. One had been the protector if a powerful 'tama'- jewel. One had fallen in love with a youkai.

The hanyou scrabbled to the wall, and slid open the small panel once more. He reached in a clawed hand, groping around the moderately deep hold for anymore information- anything at all.

And found one last piece of paper yellow with age.

He began to read its contents.

"Many years have passed since the disappearance of the tama. I am now an old woman, and even as I write, I can feel the hands of death creeping closer. 

"The wall that had been built by the villagers has become enchanted. Not two days ago, the great door of the wall had slammed shut of its own accord. Great vines grew over the entire enclosement in a matter of minutes. We can do nothing to open the door, or to rid the plants. I can sense powerful energy from that spell.

"I can think of only one method to break the barrier, but the item that is needed has returned into the West. If only one were to bring the sword that could slay a hundred demons in one swing_, there would be a chance for us to cut the vines away._

"Time passes by, and my strength is waning. I must hide this before my spirit leaves this world."

"Farewell."

Inuyasha stared in stunned silence at the end of the writing. This piece of paper had given him the method of how to get into the garden!

He just needed to find the sword that had been mentioned…

"…sword that could kill a hundred demons…" 

Wait just a minute here.

That sounded strangely familiar.

The hanyou frowned and thought.

Then, the old man's voice echoed in his mind, repeating the same words over in his head. _"It has the power to cut through magical barriers…"_

Inuyasha's mouth dropped open, and he whipped his gaze to the dojo across from him. It… couldn't be! That thing was… useless!

But what he saw caused his eyes to widen slightly. There seemed to be an eerie gleam from within the dark room in the shape of a long object… The light suddenly throbbed, almost like a hearbeat.

As though mesmerised, the man slowly walked over to the light, scripture still in his grasp.

"Tetsusaiga…"

* * *

Review Responses…! (I love you guys!):

-- animemistress419

Thanks for your review, and they should actually _meet_ in the next chapter… better not quote me on that though…

1- Inu/Kag

-- Flaming-Rosetta-Stone

I couldn't agree more. She was dead, she should remain dead. However, it really wasn't her fault to have been called out to begin with, and whenever she comes on screen, or appears in the manga, I just have to keep telling myself that that's not the real Kikyou. _She_ was much nicer, and she is in a lot of confusion. Really, I just want her soul to be put to rest, and to be able to move on… As Black Hole described. So… enough of my ranting! Thanks for your review!

1- Inu/Kag

-- Poison Death Tree

Thanks for your rating, again! Really, it is an interesting penname! But I don't deserve a bow, if anything, it's you people who read my stories who merit them… : )

1- Inu/Kag

-- Izayoi

My fic inspired you to actually change your penname? Wow. And yes, I know, it _is_ going really slowly… it seems to be a problem for my stories… -.-;; The characters just don't want to meet each other! But anyway, as I wrote to animemistress419, they _should_ meet next chapter… Thanks for your review!

1- ?

-- Dark-Magician-41

Thanks for your review, and your vote! I hope Rei's okay… A mallot? Do you carry one of those around with you? o.O I'll try to read your story when I have the time!

2- Inu/Kag

-- FieryDemonFox

Thanks for your review! I try to make my chapters at least 3000 words long, if not 4000. Maybe once I become a more experienced writer, I'll aim for 5000? Or is that too much?

1- ?

-- kokoro

You're lost? I wasn't aware that chapter THREE was so confusing! … Maybe there's a mistake I missed in there… I'll recheck it later. But, don't worry, the confusion should start to clear up… soon.

1- ?

-- Katami

Houjo bashing? That might come later… Although I really don't have a 'thing' against the boy, (he's really too minor a character) I don't favour him either, (so friggin dense!) so we'll see, as the story progresses, if there will be any Houjo bashing…

1- ?

-- sashlea

Say, what does your name mean? Actually, a lot of you reviewers have interesting pen/review names! Yes, life did get more interesting… and it should get even more so _once_ he gets into the garden… Thanks for your review!

1- ?

-- Samieko

I'll take that as Inu/Kag? ; ) (ugh. I want my smilies back!) Don't worry, in this fic, Kikyou's already dead… or is she?

1- Inu/Kag

[Hello all…

The first draft for this chapter had been deleted because it was running along so horribly. But I worked all day (that I could) on the second draft… and got out chapter FOUR in record time!

Nooo! ff.net has cut out a lot of stuff, and I can't do my faces anymore! I have to resort to the side ones - : I

As has happened in my other ongoing story, the couple still hasn't met yet. However, I _swear, _on my grandmother's grave, that they _shall_ meet next chapter! … Maybe I shouldn't have done that… I just hope that it doesn't take over 7 chapters for them to meet… like in Lock Down. -.-;;

So, the final count (for those of you who actually included a vote) was… 6 for Inu/Kag, making it 0 for Inu/Kik. I have just one thing to say to that: Thank God.

Till next time…

Ja!]


	5. Legendary Blade

Disclaimer: I, Maru Maru, hereby state, that I do not have any ownership whatsoever over the trademark 'InuYasha', nor am I in any possession of the characters, scenario, rights, or images. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi-san, for whom we have a deep respect for creating these characters over whom we can obsess, and create stories for to fulfil our every whim. (Now _there's_ a disclaimer!)(shut up, beta)(…)(Good girl)

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

.

--Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

{As though mesmerised, the man slowly walked over to the light, scripture still in his grasp.

"Tetsusaiga…"

.

--[Review responses at the bottom] --

NOTE: Check out the [AN] at the bottom please!

.

****

Chapter Five:

Legendary Blade

.

Inuyasha walked out of the library and into the open space that divided the two sides of the room. Slowly, he crossed into the training area, which was still dark except for that one haunting glow. The many weapons that lined the walls seemed to twinkle deceptively innocently, as they caught the glow from that source of light. However, that light gradually faded as the man approached the sword that was encased in glass.

Stopping a few feet away from the so-called legendary sword, Inuyasha gazed at it in wonder, eyebrows drawn together in consternation. The paper in his hands slowly fluttered to the ground as he lost his hold on it. The hanyou took no notice, but instead, focused all of his attention on…

"Tetsusaiga…" His voice was barely above a whisper.

There was an answering pulse emitted from the katana in response to its spoken name. Then, it continued to glow, although not so brightly. Now that he was closer, the hanyou saw that the glow seemed to be seeping through the very wood of the sheath. He quickly realised that it really was the sword itself that was glowing.

There was also a curious sort of energy that seemed to be making the air sparkle with electricity. This feeling was not entirely new to the man in all his years of working with weapons. In fact, in his days as a young child, the half-demon vaguely remembered his father teaching him about the swords that had been forged by demonic sword smiths in the ancient days. Of course, this had been before the old man had become estranged from his sons…

Those weapons had been powerful to the point of being able to cut things without actually coming into contact with them. The 'cutting force' itself had been enough to deal out damage to anything.

However, as time passed and the humans rose in power, the powers of these sword smiths had diminished. While all weapons could emit this 'cutting force', not all were strong enough to be felt. Nowadays, it was rare to find a sword with a truly powerful aura of this type.

In his 'career', he had found the rare few that had been able to emit weak energy, but none had been as compelling as this.

Inuyasha reached out with a trembling hand to rest on the glass of the case.

He drew it back in surprise.

The small box in which Tetsusaiga was contained was not cool, as he had been expecting. Instead, it was warm to the touch, and almost vibrating from the sheer force emitted by the katana.

At least now, he knew that this sword had indeed been forged in the ancient days of Japan.

Grasping the small handle in the side of the case, Inuyasha pulled back quickly, opening the small compartment. The power, finally having some means of escape, burst through the opening, causing the fine hairs along the back of the hanyou's neck to raise. He hesitated before a clawed hand reached inside, taking hold of the hilt. Inuyasha took the sword out of its enclosure.

The man stared in shock at the sword. In his hand, the Tetsusaiga seemed to pulse, much like a heartbeat. The light hadn't decreased any more, and on the contrary, was now steadily gaining in brilliance.

Holding his breath in anticipation, Inuyasha slowly drew the sword, not knowing what to expect.

As the tip was extracted from the wooden sheath, the hanyou screwed his eyes shut, holding the katana away from his body. He waited for something- anything to happen.

Nothing did.

Slowly opening his eyes, the man brought the sword closer and studied it.

It was exactly the same as before- scratches littered the surface and rust stains covered the blade. The light had disappeared, leaving the dojo almost pitch dark. The faint glow of the fluorescent lights from across the room filtered through this one, lighting it only softly.

Snorting in slight disappointment, the half-demon carelessly waved the katana about, dropping the sheath onto the ground.

"It really _wasn't_ anything special."

The words accompanied a sudden downward slash directly between the hanyou and the wall.

Suddenly, the power started to build tension in the room. Inuyasha froze in his end swing position, sword clasped tightly in his right hand. The tip of the sword carried it weight, resting on the wooden floor. Wide golden eyes travelled over the walls of the room, in search for the cause of the build up.

A sudden throb caused his eyes to snap down to the Tetsusaiga.

"What the hell?"

The sword was once again glowing, and it seemed as it the metal itself was heating up in a brilliant luminescence. As an unexpected flash of light lit the training area, the hanyou squeezed his eyes shut tight, looking away from the source of the beam. All the same, spots danced across his vision, causing him to blink rapidly to clear it.

When all had returned to normal, Inuyasha returned his attention to the katana resting on the ground.

What he saw made him stumble back a little in surprise as an involuntary gasp escaped his lips.

"Damn!"

For in the place of the small, decrepit sword, was something else entirely.

A large, white blade almost as tall as Inuyasha himself lay embedded within the ground. In fact, this sword truly looked like a large fang… that fang of the Lord of the Western Lands. A pulsing began in the sword, and the hanyou could feel the sheer power contained within that one katana. This was, indeed, a sword of immense might, that deserved the title, 'Tetsusaiga', and the legends that came with it.

'Iron Cleaving Fang' certainly was an appropriate name, but as the hanyou lifted the katana, it slid easily out of the ground. Inuyasha was surprised at the Tetsusaiga's light weight compared to its size. Although it wasn't what most normal people would be able to carry all the time, Inuyasha himself was hardly 'normal'.

Suddenly, a cracking sound distracted the man's attention from the katana to the wall ahead.

The glass case that had encased the Tetsusaiga had several cracks in it, with a long cut through the middle. After a few seconds, the entire thing splintered, falling to the ground. Only what had been fixed to the wall remained attached to it.

It hadn't been able to withstand the cutting force of the powerful Tetsusaiga.

Testing the edge with his thumb, Inuyasha was slightly started by the thin line of red that healed up almost instantly.

This blade was sharp.

Picking up the sword, the half-demon made his way to switch on the lights. Once bathed in light, he swung the fang around, marvelling at its make. Whoever had created this must have been extremely skilled, and that fang itself must have been very powerful. The clear ringing as fang cut through air sounded almost as if the katana itself was delighted to finally be free.

After years, no, centuries of lying dormant, Tetsusaiga had finally been drawn.

The man quickly fell into step with routines long practised. The katana felt marvellously familiar, almost like it had been designed specifically for him. The swings were smooth, as if Inuyasha had already become accustomed to its weight.

Inuyasha moved around the room with a style that seemed almost… graceful. Fighting was much like a dance of danger. A step here, a jump there, every move was calculated to give the fighter the best possible advantage. Not one move was wasted.

In fact, some of the best entertainment Inuyasha had ever seen was co-ordinated combat. Not only had the moves been perfected to the smallest detail, they were exciting to watch, and had more than helped him learn his own techniques.

Taking hits at imaginary adversaries, the hanyou stepped carefully, yet rapidly around, silver hair dancing in his wake. The minutes trickled by, yet he took no notice, so absorbed in his movement. When he'd been younger, Inuyasha had preferred blunt force over using his brain. But after several rather humiliating defeats at the hand of Sesshoumaru, the younger brother had compromised to incorporate strategy in his training.

In a way, Inuyasha had his elder brother to thank for the state of his weapons style.

Not that he'd ever admit it…

"Gaaah!"

The hanyou ended his routine with a swipe at an invisible enemy, landing in a full crouch. The Tetsusaiga lay over his shoulder, flat edge down. Breathing deeply, he rose, grinning a rather proud smirk at his new-found weapon.

"Looks like it's not as useless as I'd thought."

He walked towards the wall that used to hold Tetsusaiga. Bending down, he picked up the sheath hat tlay among sparkling glass, and was faced with a rather puzzling enigma.

How was he to re-sheath the blade?

Frowning thoughtfully, Inuyasha absently wiped off the sweat that had gathered on his forehead and placed the tip of the Tetsusaiga into the scabbard. Carefully, he pushed downwards, hoping that whatever magic had made it transform would make it return to its original state.

He was not disappointed.

In a flash of bright light, the katana steadily disappeared within its casing until naught but the hilt remained. The hilt, which had turned back from a handle of fur, to an edge made purely of metal.

Bouncing the katana up and down, the man checked his watch.

He very near dropped the sword on its rebound.

"One thirty?!"

He'd stayed up a lot longer than originally planned. Although sleep wasn't always necessary for a person with demon blood, it was always beneficial to catch a few winks every night. Carefully laying the Tetsusaiga in its sheath against the wall, Inuyasha thought twice before picking it up again. There was no telling what would happen to it if he left it here.

He took it with him towards the centre of the central room, flicking off the lights as he passed by.. Quickly bounding to across the space to the book room, he switched off those lights, backtracking his way through the main entrance. As he walked through the deserted hallways, the hanyou's mind was set solely on the sword in his hand.

He had really been surprised at the dexterity of the sword, and the accuracy of the old man's words. Perhaps, that meant that he had also been correct in his other reasonings?

Shrugging it off, Inuyasha walked in his room, quickly ran through his night-time rituals, after placing the katana on the floor of his bedroom. Jumping onto the bed in nothing but a pair of boxers (he never did get used to sleeping with clothes), the half-demon fell asleep with images of slaying in his mind.

In the midst of journeying to the land of dreams, the garden and its enchantment were forgotten.

At least, temporarily…

* * *

A jaw-cracking yawn broke the face of one sleepy-eyed hanyou.

Inuyasha stared grumpily at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.

"Keh."

He'd never been much of a morning person… and having to wake up at 6:45 really didn't sit well with him. Although he didn't need much sleep as a hanyou, it was always annoying waking up when his human blood was groggy, and calling for more shut-eye.

Most of the time, it took a while for the human blood to adjust, and for him to feel fully energised again. A cup of coffee was great for that. It was a strange feeling- while one part of him was energised and ready for anything, the other was just waking up.

Stretching, the man quickly stripped, stepping into the shower, prepared for the usual blast of cold water. A freezing shower in the mornings always did wonders for curing that morning drowsiness. That was one useful fact Inuyasha'd learned in university. However, his roommate's singing habits never did bode well of the hanyou's sensitive ears- in fact, it had worked better than any alarm clock, succeeding where the clocks had failed- waking him up.

Most of the alarm clocks the hanyou had ever owned had been broken in flying trips that ended up smashed against the wall.

"Stupid Miroku."

Ever since those days, the half-demon had gotten used to waking up early in the mornings, and now that he'd graduated, it was still hard to step out of the groove. It wasn't harmful so much as it was annoying.

Hopping out of the shower, a slop-haired man briskly rubbed himself dry, taking careful care with the sensitive dog-ears atop of his head. During the shower, they had to be pulled down onto his head so that no water would enter them. Routine of over 21 years made this a second nature to him.

Wrapping the now damp towel around his waist, Inuyasha strolled out of the bathroom. Carelessly throwing on a few moderately clean articles of clothing (he'd finally unpacked- but most of the clothes lay strewed around the floor), the hanyou stood up with crossed arms. He frowned, wondering why he felt so damn happy.

Glancing along the floor lazily, golden eyes alighted on a familiar scabbard…

"Ah!"

Grabbing the katana he'd found only hours before, all signs of boredom vanished, and Inuyasha quickly bounded out of his room. He'd have to get in some early practice this morning. He headed directly towards the main entrance-

-When a loud rumble interrupted the morning calm.

The hanyou froze, half drawing out the fang that lay in his grasp. If there was any danger…

He waited…

And waited…

…

Then, another rumble broke through the peace and quiet, vibrating through the man's very body.

Silence.

Inuyasha turned red.

And abruptly turned around.

'Maybe a trip to the kitchens first…'

* * *

The silver-haired man stepped out of a rather large room, a cup of steaming liquid in one hand, and the Tetsusaiga in the other. Inuyasha carelessly closed the door to the kitchen- the kitchens were the only rooms that were accessed by western styled doors. Every other room had shouji doors.

Padding down the narrow hallway, Inuyasha took a lazy sip at his steaming coffee, swinging the katana over his shoulder. Not soon, the bend came into view, and the hanyou quietly slid open the sliding door at the end of it, stepping into the main entrance area. Making a right turn, he opened the northern door, stepping into 'the main chamber'.

Over his inspections, the half-demon had discovered that other than the main entrance, the room was entirely isolated from the rest of the house- i.e., the living quarters. Even the two bulges, which were the kitchens, were inaccessible through the central chamber.

Making use of his oh-so-superior logical reasoning skills, Inuyasha concluded that the circular hallway and the rooms had been added onto the central area. That really wasn't too uncommon in ancient structures, Often, older buildings had been reinforced or improved to fit the needs of the ruler of the area.

Shaking his head to clear the thoughts, the half-demon walked over to the entrance dojo, ready to train. Once there, he paused and threw a sideways glance at the library, which held the mess that awaited his cleanup.

He should really get to that…

But then the hanyou shrugged.

'Let the old geezer take care of it'

He resumed walking into the training area, stopping in the middle of the room. His gaze travelled over to the sparkling glass.

He sighed.

And took out a broom from the small closet near the entrance. That glass could actually hinder his training…

After cleaning up the mess, he returned to the centre of the room, closing his eyes. Dressed in training shorts and a light tee-shirt, the man kept his mind clear of all thoughts, allowing for the mind to take full control of the body.

Really, Inuyasha's style of fighting was not so much solely based on martial arts, as a combination of different fighting forms. The martial arts focused on training one's body to become the perfect weapon, and to allow the soul to become one with the body. However, the hanyou mixed up weapons in this, allowing for the weapon to be an _extension_ of the body. In this way and several others, Inuyasha mimicked the way of training that had been used by the Samurai before they had been forced into extinction.

Bare feet skimmed over the smooth wood as the half-demon drew the sword.

In a brilliant flash of light, the decrepit sword quickly transformed into the shining fang. He heedlessly threw Tetsusaiga's scabbard to some obscure corner of the room where it landed with a rather loud thunk.

Smirking rather cockily, the young man started his routine with a series of leisurely stretching movements. Steadily, as the moves became more complicated, he moved around the room faster. Fang sang through the air as silver flashed in the fluorescent light.

So engrossed in the smooth rhythm of his routine was Inuyasha, that he didn't notice that tiny scrap of paper on the ground- the smooth, polished, wooden ground… until it was too late.

"What th-" Slipping rather comically, Inuyasha froze in a flailing position before he was abruptly cut off with a…

THUMP

And a

THUD.

Muttering several words that would have scarred a child for life, the half-demon rubbed his abused bottom, an eye scrunched up in annoyance.

'What's with me and falling these days?' He glared irritably at the shrine that was just out of sight. 'It's like the gods are out to get me…'

Sticking out a clawed hand, Inuyasha gripped onto the hilt of Tetsusaiga, which had become lodged into the ground upon impact. Well _that_ would certainly leave a mark. It had stayed in its stronger form, making it that much harder for the hanyou to pull it out. Keeping his hold, the half-demon stood up.

"Arg.. Get out… Tetsusaiga…!"

The hanyou grit his teeth in effort, throwing all of his weight in the opposite direction.

'How. The. Hell. (grunt) Did. This. Thing. (arg) Get. Lodged. In. So. (gah) Fucking. Tight?!"

At the last word, Inuyasha gave a final heave.

The katana drew out with a shing, leaving the hanyou to fall flat onto his back.

"Oof!" He was down for the count. 'Yup… the gods are out to get me…'

Opening slightly dazed eyes, the half-demon looked up- to observe a piece of paper fluttering down…

Down…

Down…

…To land smack on his face.

The man raised a free hand to grab the aged parchment before sitting back up. Upon doing so, he discovered that Tetsusaiga had reverted back to its carrying form. Giving an annoyed huff, Inuyasha set the katana down before turning his attention to the paper that had caused the mishap.

'What the hell is this doing here?'

He flipped the paper over, and disgruntled amber eyes skimmed over the words it held.

That is, disgruntled amber eyes that soon widened in surprise.

Inuyasha slapped a hand to his forehead, proclaiming to the empty room, "I can't believe I forgot all about this!" The shout echoed throughout the room, further reminding the hanyou that he was alone, and that talking to oneself was not particularly healthy.

But really, how could he have forgotten all about of the garden? Especially after finding a possible way _into_ it?

Jumping up (after carefully checking the ground for any more mischievous pieces of paper), the half-demon swiped Tetsusaiga off the ground. He tucked the piece of paper into his back pocket, and ran over to the corner in which the wooden scabbard lay. He bent down to pick it up, but abruptly drew his hand back as though it had been burned.

Rearing back in surprise, Inuyasha glanced at his healing hand before turning his gaze to the sheath. The katana in his grasp pulsed ever so subtly, almost as though laughing at him.

Apparently, Tetsusaiga's scabbard didn't like to be maltreated.

The hanyou's stare turned suspicious before he abruptly caught himself. 'I'm suspicious of a damn sword. I must be going fucking nuts.' He glared at the ceiling. 'It's 'cause of the mansion.' He then mentally slapped himself. 'I really need to get some company…'

Bending down again, Inuyasha carefully grabbed hold of the wooden scabbard before quickly sheathing Tetsusaiga. The half-demon breathed a small sigh of relief before throwing the sword over his shoulder while headed towards the centre of the main chamber. Turning right, he whistled a rather cheerful tune, and slid open the exit door.

The half-demon stepped out of the central chamber, sliding the northern door back into place. He turned around, placing a clawed hand on the door that lead out of the mansion-

Before pausing. His whistling stopped on a note-

-and he turned around, headed towards the eastern door as the tune resumed. He'd use a side exit to get outside- no reason to step into the outdoors heat before necessary, after all.

The hanyou strolled through the hallway, and was once again, struck by the sheer size of it all. It took him over five minutes to simply reach the first branch that lead off the corridor (a dead end), and ten before he encountered the actual side door.

Inuyasha slowly slid open the shouji door, blinking in the sudden sunlight. He shielded his eyes from the intensity, not used to the brightness.

Staying indoors for practically five days did that to a person's eyesight.

Shaking a head of silver-hair, dog-ears twitched as songs of birds floated through the calm day. The trickle of water in the small stream added to the music of the outdoors, and a small smile flitted over the hanyou's mouth. This seemed like the perfect place for his mother to have been raised.

The man just stood there, memories from long ago playing through his head, before he remembered why he'd ventured outside in the first place.

'Oh yeah.'

Turning left, Inuyasha jogged along the river to reach the back of the 'yard' where a wall of green rose to meet him. The barricade of the garden seemed to be even more covered than usual, as though it had anticipated for something to break through it. The vines had grown to cover almost eighty percent of the structure, and colourful flowers were dotted here and there.

All in all, it seemed to be something straight out of a fairytale- which really wasn't far from the truth.

The man sucked in a breath before letting it out in a whoosh, and walked to face the centre of the wall.

His stare hardening, Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga with a flourish, setting its scabbard (carefully) down onto the grass covered ground. He braced his legs, and raised the now transformed fang above his head.

"Alright, Yash, It's the moment of truth. The day you've been waiting for. This wall's goin' down."

A passing squirrel shot the talking man a curious glance before scurrying its way up a tree.

Inuyasha blinked in surprise before silently cursing.

He _really_ needed to get some human- or demon- company.

The hanyou shook his head, before returning his gaze to the wall in front of him.

Without a moment of hesitation, he brought Tetsusaiga swinging down to slice cleanly through many of the vines littering the surface of the stone wall.

"Hah! Take that you-!"

Completely disregarding the fact that he'd been talking to a stone wall, Inuyasha's comment wasn't finished as he stared, slack jaw, at the barricade in front of him.

The vines had grown back.

It was almost as it they been melded together, as there were absolutely no signs of incision. In fact, it appeared that the plants were now growing quickly, having tasted what could be the cause of their demise. In a matter of a few seconds, the flowered vines had completely covered the entire lower wall, leaving no room for any grey to show.

The air of the place changed.

What had been a peaceful, almost friendly atmosphere had turned almost dangerous.

The flowers no longer seemed innocent, but mocking.

Golden eyes narrowed in dissatisfaction before turning to the blade. The paper had read that this was the blade-

Maybe he was wrong? Maybe it wasn't the Tetsusaiga?

Inuyasha set his jaw, and took a few steps back. He raised the katana above his head again- it wouldn't hurt to try again, and brought it down in a vertical cut.

An eye opened tentatively.

Nothing.

"Dammit!"

How dare that note get his hopes raised? He'd actually hoped that he'd be able to get into the damn garden- but what had that accomplished? He was no wiser, and the sword had proved of no use in this field.

Angrily, the hanyou slashed carelessly at the 'laughing' flowers.

"Gah!"

The end of his stroke was met with silence, as it the very air was pausing for breath.

"Wha-"

Suddenly, Inuyasha was blasted backwards by a forceful gale that whipped his hair around. Straining to regain his balance, the hanyou threw all of his weight forwards and raised a slightly glowing Tetsusaiga in an attempt to shield himself. Bits of plants blew around him, but the man saw none of this as he closed his eyes to keep out the dust.

"Gwahhh!"

Slowly, ever so slowly, the winds calmed, and the half-demon was left panting from the exertion. Golden eyes slid tentatively open to observe what had been the result of the unexpectedly powerful swing.

His mouth opened soundlessly.

Tetsusaiga fell to the floor with a soft clump.

"Whoa."

* * *

Review Responses:

-- FieryDemonFox

True. Here's your update! Thanks for your review!

-- Poison Death Tree

Yeah, but as long as it doesn't take _too_ long for them to meet… I'll be happy. Thanks again for your review!

--CrimsonMoonInTheSky

Another Inu/Kag? I'll just keep up a permanent tally then… And you did review for chapter THREE, but your review response is here!

1 Inu/Kag

--V

Thanks for your cookie! munches Thanks for your review too!

-- Izayoi

I know, eh? At least FF.net gives us a way to fix those mistakes… but it was better before… maybe we just have to get used to it.

-- kokoro

Heh. I guess I just wasn't expecting it… you aren't losing your touch… at least, I don't think so. But thanks for your review!

-- Chaoticxsky

You'll see… soon enough…

-- Flaming-Rosetta-Stone

Heh. Just the dramatic pause before the event, ne?

-- Higurashi Kagome

You slid off or your chair? You okay? Heh. Yes, it was a sort of a cliffy, wasn't it? How was _this _cliff-hanger then? But thanks for your reviews! And yes, Inu/Kag rocks!

1 Inu/Kag 

-- Katami

Thanks! I'm flattered that you really, really, really like my story! : )

1 Inu/Kag

.

[Sorry for the slightly later than usual update, but they'll probably come slower as, well, my teacher's being a first class bitch. I'm listening to my beloved InuYasha MP3's and midi's! My favourites, so far, are 'Owarinai Yume', 'Come', then 'Every Heart', although it's a little soft, and 'Grip!' and then 'Change the World'… see a trend? (I don't)

Ahhh… Oh yes.

I lied. XD

I said they'd meet in this chapter ne?

Well, too bad. They'll meet in the _next_ chapter though. I was _going_ to have the encounter in this chappie, but it started to get too long- that, and I was lazy.

But, I promise they will meet in chapter SIX. After all, he's already gotten into the garden, right? It's guaranteed. : )

--And. (oh, the all important 'and')

If you want to get reports on how far the chapters are going, then check out my profile page. I make updates in the mornings since there really is nothing better to do… -.-;; Down near the middle is the fic status… so… yea. There, you'll get updates on how the stories are going and other things. If you're wondering why I haven't updated in, say, two weeks check out bio- the reason'll be there…--

.

Although SG is far from finished, I am curious about a few things.

I have a few story ideas, most of which are going to become… well… stories. They're all listed and described near the bottom of my profile, and if you could read them, that would be great. Tell me which ones sound interesting, and although that may not affect the order in which I write them, it'll help. In other words, it's going to be almost like a poll. Feel free to include your choice in your review, or email me (I've posted my email address on my bio as well). Thanks!

Tally:

Inu/Kag-8

Inu/Kik-0

So, till next time…

Ja!]


	6. Meeting

Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha, he would have made his freaking choice [between Kikyou and Kagome] already.

.

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

.

--Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

{His mouth opened soundlessly.

Tetsusaiga fell to the floor with a soft clump.

"Whoa."}

.

Important: I'm leaving for Italy in two days from when I post this. (30.05.04) I will not be writing for the duration of that trip, so the next update will be in a while- perhaps more than 3 weeks. Gomen!

--[Review responses at the bottom] --

--[Check out the AN at the bottom for information about a Notify List on SG!]--

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****

Chapter SIX:

Meeting

.

Inuyasha blinked slowly, trying to determine whether or not what he was seeing was truly real.

The dust continued to settle, revealing what the powerful blast had uncovered. Huge slabs of stone lay on the grass-covered ground, accompanied by torn vines, but the actual standing wall itself… it _seemed _as though nothing terribly monumental had happened. The vines and flowers lay scattered, torn, and defeated, all around the structure, which stilled looked, and was… whole.

But first, one must describe the area in order to draw conclusions.

There remained, in front in Inuyasha, a wall of stone, as was partially anticipated. However, in the middle of this great barricade, there was embedded, a set of double entranceway doors. These were crafted from a deep red coloured wood. They were perpendicular to the floor, but rounded in the top, and the entranceway was lined by a golden archway with intricate designs engraved on it.

Near the corners of the doors, the archway stuck out with three prongs at each corner, creating an interesting effect. In the centre of the archway, over where the two doors met, was a large circular shape that stood out from the rest of the design. The circle was surrounded by two flowers that also seemed to stick out of the archway, and were connected to the circle by a couple of intricate lines.

In all appearance, it seemed as though no ruin had been brought to the structure itself, but as Inuyasha lowered his gaze to the ground, he saw many chunks of stone lying among the quickly withering plants. In fact, there was enough of the rocky material to have easily covered the standing wall. Peeking around the corner, the hanyou found that the destruction continued around the entire structure, looking for the entire world, like something large had fallen down.

And yet, there was still _another_ wall preventing his access into the alleged garden? Apparently, there had been a double- no, triple defence against intruders, and he'd broken through two (or was it one?) of them.

However, even as golden eyes scanned over the ground, assessing the damage (and how much he would have to clean up), the stone and vines slowly seemed to fade away.

Inuyasha rubbed his eyes. "What?"

Ever so gradually, the mess upon the green grass was becoming more and more translucent, seeming to evaporate into the air itself. Indeed, the grey and green was steadily disappearing, becoming wisps of smoke. It was as if the solid material was turning into vapour to disperse in the wind.

Jogging over to a chunk, the half-demon picked a piece of the destruction up… or attempted to.

His fingers simply slipped through the rapidly vanishing substances, passing through it as though it were made of air. Although he had felt nothing, the image of the piece of rock shimmered, and like smoke being blown away, slowly vanished. In a matter of minutes, all of the mess 'evaporated', leaving the grass lay clean and devoid of any rubbish. Even the dust had vanished.

Try as he might, the hanyou simply could not make it clear that anything physical had actually lain there. He bent down, passing a clawed hand lightly over the grass. Tilting his head, he gazed over the entire expanse of flat ground- but nothing was there…

The outer wall and vines must have been some sort of an enchantment, designed to disappear should anything counter it. Inuyasha had heard of such spells, but only the most powerful of individuals had been able to conjure a defence enchantment of such calibre.

Bewildered, Inuyasha stood up from his crouching position, studying the wall. He discovered that without the vines obscuring his view, the wall seemed a lot more… different than before. For some reason, it seemed less impenetrable than before, but no less impressive.

Instead of being some tall, cold structure that repelled all, it had a warmer, far more welcoming atmosphere to it.

Walking up to the structure, the hanyou reached out a hand to delicately touch the stone leading up to the golden border. He expected something- any physical sign, to tell him that the plants had really been there, that it hadn't been just a figment of his, and everybody else's imagination.

But there was nothing.

The stone was smooth and cool, holding no evidence of anything ever having grown on it.

It wasn't that this sight wasn't entirely unexpected to the hanyou- he'd actually anticipated something more than just an enchantment blocking the garden, it was just that he'd expected… more damage to the wall.

Far more damage.

After all, the winds of that aftershock had been really quite powerful, signifying the sheer force of the blow itself. However, all that had happened was that the plants had been blown off along with some 'outer wall', that had magically disappeared.

Greater forces were certainly at work here.

Shaking his head somewhat disappointedly (he'd wanted EXPLOSIONS, dammit!) Inuyasha stepped up to the centre of the closed entrance to figure out what he had to do _now_.

He tried to push open the doors, but soon discovered that that would prove unsuccessful- there was a lock situated directly between the two doors, linking them together. The half-demon bent down to study it, and frowned in confusion. It prevented the doors from moving, but the strange thing was that there was no way for the lock itself to turn.

When a person unlocks something with a key, they generally have to fit the key in, then turn it in a given direction in order unlock the lock. However, this keyhole carried no method for the key to turn. It seemed that the key would just be… pushed into it?

Absently, a clawed hand scratched a white-topped head.

Well, the lock didn't _look_ anything besides the normal… in fact, it seemed flimsy enough that he would be able to cut it off with his own claws!

It was amazing that he didn't think to _look_ for the key first…

Inuyasha's mouth quirked up in a cocky smirk, certain that the simple metal didn't stand a chance. He cracked his knuckles and brought his right hand up towards the lock.

"Sankon Tetsusou!"

The cry rang out in the empty courtyard, as several lines appeared on the door of the enclosed garden. The lock, however… had not been damaged in any way. And even as Inuyasha gaped disbelievingly at the small silver latch that had withstood an attack that had devastated many of his opponents, the slash marks slowly faded until the wood was unmarred once more.

"Wha-what?!" The hanyou reared back in astonishment.

Leaning forwards, he tapped a sharp claw to the metal, finding that absolutely nothing had changed.

Huffing in slight embarrassment and frustration, Inuyasha tried again, this time with a faster slash- but his second attempt was just as successful as his first had been.

Ok. That was it.

If the lock wasn't coming off, the entire entranceway would have to suffer.

Taking a few steps backwards, the silver-haired man brought his right arm up again, his smirk a little forced this time.

"SAKON TETSUSOU!" This cry was much louder than the previous two, and actually scared several birds into flight.

The resulting attack brought five deep gauges into the wood of the door, and grinning rather darkly, Inuyasha strolled up to the door, ready to push it over.

However, before he had taken even a step, the marks slowly began to become shallower, and by the time the hanyou had reached the doors, they had disappeared completely, leaving no marks- again.

"Keh!"

Narrowing golden eyes at the obstinate lock, the half-demon stalked over to where he had dropped his katana, yanking it up from the ground with more force than necessary. Practically fuming that his own attack couldn't overcome a simple (but enchanted) door, Inuyasha brought both hands onto the hilt of Tetsusaiga, watching in satisfaction, as it transformed before his very eyes.

Glancing upwards at the wooden door, the half-demon smirked again. 'It doesn't stand a chance. Tetsusaiga can break barriers.'

Holding the sword confidently above his head, the blade caught several of the sun's rays. The man swung downwards in a powerful sweep, landing directly down upon the silver latch.

However, there was no effect.

Nothing- not even a scratch. The katana bounced harmlessly off the metal, causing not so much as a dent.

Inuyasha's eyebrows drew together in an unpleased frown.

"Dammit."

Huffing again, the hanyou threw down the sword, which landed softly against the grass. It immediately shrunk into its smaller size. He himself sat down roughly, habitually crossing his legs. A pout on his face, he crossed his arms, looking for all the world like he was sulking. He had, after all, overcome one obstacle, only to be faced with another that he couldn't tackle with brute force.

'I obviously need to do something- there has to be someway to get into the stupid garden…' The morning sunlight glinted off the silver of the latch onto the man's face, but he ignored it. 'Why would they have a door if there wasn't some way to open it?' He shifted to avoid the sunlight that was being reflected onto his face. 'How should I get rid of that lock? I'd need _something_, but _what_ could it be? What does a person unlock a lock with?' Suddenly, realisation dawned onto the hanyou. "I'd need… a… key…"

Suddenly reaching the conclusion, Inuyasha literally fell over in the sheer simplicity of it all. A hand slapped to his forehead has he grimaced and shook his head.

'Of course! I can't believe I fucking forgot!'

The hanyou hopped onto his feet, dragging the sword along with him. Sprinting around and along the length of the house, Inuyasha quickly slammed into the side entrance, his mind barely recognising the sudden change in light. Running through the long hallway, the half-demon jogged straight into his room, placing Tetsusaiga in the doorway, before digging through the many piles on the floor of his bedroom.

"Where is… it?"

Inuyasha flung clothes at various states of cleanliness around the space in a way that didn't make his search for 'it' any more successful. In fact, he found himself picking up the same pair of jeans three times, before the hanyou finally had the sense to toss the items he'd searched into the corner in an 'organised pile'.

"I know it's here somewhere!" He pulled out a shirt from under his bed. "I really need to clean all this up… sometime…"

Not soon, everything that had taken up residence on the floor of the room had been examined and thrown into the now-huge pile in one corner of the room opposite the entrance to the bathroom. The half-demon ran into his closet- which he found empty, except for a couple of unpacked suitcases and his large bag.

"Ah ha!"

Abruptly yanking up on the straps of the black bag he'd used all through high school and partially in university, the hanyou dumped it onto his bed. Quickly unzipping it, Inuyasha dug through its contents, casting them onto his soft bed.

"MP3 player… headphones… cards… pen… gum- hey, I was looking for that… water… ack! Wet!" Wiping his hands off on the back of his jeans, Inuyasha finally pulled out a large manila envelope, easily opening it. "Here it is!" Inuyasha pulled out the contents- a colourful magazine. A frown adorned his face. "Hey- this isn't it…" The hanyou opened it, blatantly ignoring the cover. The hanyou's eyes grew wide at the graphically provocative images contained within the magazine before shutting it closed. He took one glance at the cover. "Play-! Damnit Miroku, why did you give me one of your mags?"

He'd remembered that when his former roommate had given him his 'moving away' present, Miroku had had a rather perverted smile on his face, but too busy in loading his baggage, Inuyasha hadn't taken notice.

"Enjoy." He'd said.

The hanyou sighed, shaking his head, before tossing the magazine (facedown) onto the bed. He'd have to give it back… soon…

Returning to the task of searching for the mysterious object, Inuyasha examine the remaining items in his bag before reaching the very bottom. At last, there, lying harmlessly on its side, was the white envelop that Sesshoumaru had given him before excusing him from his office.

Picking the envelop up, Inuyasha quickly flipped it upside down, like he had that day he'd discovered he'd inherited this property.

And just as before, a single silver key dropped into the palm of his hand.

Deciding to examine the key later, the half-demon grasped the key in his hand, rushing out of his room, pausing only to grab Tetsusaiga. Again, the golden-eyed man ran along the hallway, and again, he stepped outside through the side entrance. Sprinting, Inuyasha made good time along the green grass, reaching the back of the courtyard in a matter of minutes.

Stopping right in front of the door, the hanyou had barely broken a sweat, thanks to his youkai heritage and vigorous training. It was here that he opened his hand, raising the key so that he could see it clearly.

It looked the same as it had before- a simple design that seemed almost cliché of keys. In fact, he would have thought it to be some sort of novelty if it weren't for the print on it. There, engraved in its side, were the words "Flower Garden" in flowing kanji. Also, there was a small pattern near identical to that on the arc of the entranceway.

How he hadn't noticed it before was unknown to Inuyasha, but on the flip side of the pass, was a ball with two flowers connected to it- just like on the arc.

Clearly, the two items had been made to compliment each other, and hopefully, the key would be able to unlock the door for Inuyasha.

Sucking in a breath, the man slowly brought the tip of the key towards the keyhole. Pausing right before entering, Inuyasha let out the breath in a sweep, quickly pushing it in.

For a split second, the hanyou wondered how he was to turn the key, when a bright light began to glow from the silver lock and key. In fact, not only were those two glowing, but the golden archway as well. A sort of tingling began at the base of the half-demon's neck, warning him to a magical presence.

The half-demon shielded his sensitive eyes from the bright light, turning away from the source.

There was no extra noise- nothing to signify that anything at all had happened. The birds continued to chirp like they had before. The wind continued to blow, sweeping across the long grass. Nature took no notice of the spiritual forces at work in this single archway.

Slowly, Inuyasha turned his head to check if the light had faded yet, and indeed it had. The glow gradually became dimmer and grew smaller before it disappeared all together.

The hanyou was left a little shocked at the outcome of the simple gesture of fitting a key into its assigned lock.

It had vanished.

Simple as that.

No force had been needed at all.

Now, nothing remained that gave any evidence to any latch ever being between the two doors. The young man passed a couple of fingers along the smooth edge of the wood panels, noticing nothing different about the entranceway except for the lack of lock.

Slowly, as his mind caught up to the events, the fact finally processed that his endeavour had been successful- there was no longer anything preventing the door from being opened- at least, he hoped.

A bubble of excitement grew in him at the prospect of finally being able to explore what nobody had for, quite literally, centuries. Pausing, Inuyasha stepped back to retrieve his katana and its sheath before standing before the doors again. He masked his thrill well, maintaining a fairly neutral face, but slightly shaking hands gave him away, as they reached out to push on the doors.

He had barely given them a slight nudge, when the soundlessly swung open to reveal what they had hidden for so long. The contents of the enclosed area came into view slowly as the doors came to a rest.

A grand view met golden eyes.

It _was_ a garden- at least, a wild one. Actually, it was not so much a 'garden', as it was an area of organic growth.

And a very colourful one at that.

Trees rose up in small groups, with the occasional huge one standing alone. Bushes with small glittering flowers grew around these trees, and grass sprung up on the ground. Among the grass, were wildflowers that were no less beautiful than ones that were cared for in modern gardens.  
Inuyasha even thought that he could hear the trickling of a river, although it could have been his ears playing tricks on him. That, or it was the stream that was running along the perimeter of the house.

Not an inch of the area was man-made, everything having grown undisturbed for about five hundred years.

That's when it really clicked.

Five. Hundred. Years.

Inuyasha was stepping on ground that hadn't been touched for about five centuries.

Suddenly a little self-conscious, he took off his athletic sandals in respect for the plant life. His mother had once told him, as a childhood story, that the spirits of the flowers didn't like to be crushed by the hard soles of modern day shoes. Of course, back then, it had been a small lesson that he'd taken very seriously, but over the years, much of the carefree times had been forgotten.

Now, his mother's lesson came back, and while Inuyasha wasn't sure whether or not to believe in the 'plant spirit' aspect, he did heed Izayoi's teachings in respecting nature.

The hanyou could only see the part of the garden that was not covered by trees, for there was what seemed to be a small forest-like group of trees further back. Taking in a deep breath, he could smell the fresh scent of flowers and green life. The fresh air tickled his hanyou senses. He had never encountered this degree of unpolluted air before, and it was as if by stepping into this relatively small area of earth, Inuyasha was stepping back in time, to a time when machinery had been simple.

An almost unearthly wind blew around from seemingly nowhere, encircling Inuyasha in a soft embrace before blowing off deeper into the garden. He closed his eyes to just enjoy the sensations of being in this place, for it seemed to be almost… magical.

Yes, that was it.

It was a scene straight from a fairy tale.

Suddenly, the half-demon was startled out of his musings by a quiet 'clunk'. To any human, it would have been an insignificant noise, but to his enhanced hearing, it was like an alarm bell. He whipped around to face the door- to discover it had closed on its own.

"What the heck?"

Inuyasha became slightly worried, hurrying up to the door. He didn't want to spend the rest of his life trapped in here, however peaceful it was. Upon reaching the great doorway, the half-demon breathed a sigh of relief- there were two large rings on hinges designed to allow a person to pull the door open.

Shaking a silver-topped head, the hanyou rested his forehead on the cool wood of one of the doors. His eyes closed, as he became a part of the stillness of nature.

The seconds passed by, but the silver-haired man took no notice- time wasn't too much of an issue with him at the moment. With no pressing appointments and no real company to attend to, Inuyasha was constantly left to his own devices- something that had been sadly true while growing up.

Suddenly, the wind picked up- although how and from where, the hanyou knew not. However, what he did know, was that this occurrence was strangely familiar. The soft breeze blew around him like it had a few minutes before, carrying with it the scent of…

…of spring.

The same scent he had sensed only days prior.

The half-demon kept his eyes closed, head still leaning on the wooden door- he was almost afraid to turn around, afraid of what he would find.

But this time, the fragrance was much stronger, mingled with herbs and something he could not describe- something that was purely… unique.

Slowly, the gentle wind died down, until the air was peaceful once more. However, while the breeze had disappeared, the scent did not. Instead, it lingered in the air, tickling at Inuyasha's nose with its sweetness.

Not one to be afraid of anything, much less a legend, the silver-haired half-demon brought up his head, doggy-ears twitching as it caught the soft rustle of the tree leaves. Abruptly, he whipped around-

-to find that he no longer alone.

Not at all.

Golden eyes widened in slight surprise, even though he had been hoping for this to happen.

She was here.

That girl- the miko.

She was standing right before his very eyes! The familiar attire of red and white met his gaze, and her delicate face graced his vision. Ebony-black hair fell onto her back, and she carried that ever marking bow and a quiver full of arrows. However, just as before, the girl was spectral- slightly translucent. He could almost see the outline of the trees behind her.

This time, what was different was that she wore an expression that must have mirrored his own-

One of absolute shock.

Her mouth was open, and her blue-grey eyes wide in amazement. It seemed to be an unconscious act when her hand went up instinctively to rest on her delicate bow. Another strayed upwards in preparation to draw an arrow- an action that must have been long practised in the feudal ages.

Inuyasha fared no better, as his jaw had also dropped, and his hand was drifting towards the Tetsusaiga, prepared to draw it.

The silence stretched on as both individuals studied each other with a growing curiosity.

Then, she interrupted the peace with the first words he had heard escape her lips.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Her tone was soft and held a pitch of wonder in it. There was a sort of echoing or faint quality to it, as if it was travelling from within a void. It was low with surprise, and was laced the barest hint of suspicion. Upon retrospect, Inuyasha could understand her uneasiness- he was probably the first person she had seen face to face for centuries.

"…Hi?" The half-demon unconsciously scratched the back of his head over the awkwardness of the situation, but that only focused her attention on the movement of his unusual ears.

She gasped, taking a step back. "Youkai! Here?" She drew an arrow and readied her bow- he was frozen in the spot. "What are you doing here?" She repeated with more force. "If it is the jewel you seek, then leave, for I will not relay its location to you."

Inuyasha was surprised at the sudden change in her attitude and demeanour, not daring to move unless she shot that arrow. Although the miko and her accessories didn't seem to be of this world, there was no telling that the force radiating from the point of her arrow would purify him upon 'contact'.

Slowly bringing his hands up in a show of peace, the hanyou shook his head. "I'm not here for… the 'jewel'."

Ocean-blue eyes narrowed in doubt. "Then what brings you here to disturb my peace…?" She added in a soft whisper, "My punishment?"

The last comment had obviously not been meant for his ears, but the fuzzy triangles caught what she had said nonetheless, and Inuyasha's interest was sparked once again.

"Punishment?" He'd never liked to mince words, even in the most delicate of situations- like this one.

Her eyes widened once again. "Excellent hearing, though I suppose it is to be expected of you." Her mouth straightened into a sad line. "It is expected of most youkai." For a moment, the priestess was lost in her memories before she blinked, raising her attention back to the still demon. "You swear not to betray my trust?" Her azure eyes had saddened at this question, and Inuyasha could almost sense a double meaning to the request.

"I… swear." The half-demon stared directly in her eyes, trying to convey his honesty. He may be coarse, rude, and almost arrogant at times, but he always kept his promises, however few they were.

Slowly, her hands weakened their grip on the bow, and they now dropped to her side after determining his integrity. After another moment of silence, the girl's head rose to meet his gaze once more. A faint smile tugged at her lips and her head tilted to the side.

"You're not a true demon, are you? A hanyou- half demon, half human, and not entirely accepted in either world." She laughed without humour. "A feeling I know only too well." Before he could make any comment, she continued speaking. "Don't deny it. Your aura defines you for what you are." She looked off towards the distance. "A life of solitude…"

Inuyasha frowned. "How could you know how I live? What gives you that right to categorise me?" He realised too late, that after spending about five hundred years alone, a person did become very lonely.

She looked at him once again, but her eyes seemed to gaze right through him. "I know much more about seclusion than I should…" She drifted off, leaving the response not entirely complete.

The silence stretched on again, leaving a rather uncomfortable pause in which Inuyasha began to fidget. White ears twitched as a soft wind picked up again. Suddenly seeming to notice his restlessness, she shook her head, a true smile gracing her lips. For an inexplicable reason, the hanyou found her smiling face to be pleasant and pleasing, but he shook those thoughts out of mind before they could expand further.

She sat down on the grass, though how, he did not know, since she was supposedly a purely spiritual being. Her legs stretched before her, and she lay her bow at her side with her quiver. Looking up, a hand gestured towards him before patting the grass besides her. "Come," was her simple request.

The half-demon hesitantly moved closer to her before he too, plopped a little ungracefully onto the ground, crossing his legs and arms. He sat beside her, although a little distance away, but she took no more notice of him, gazing off into the forest with lonely eyes.

There was another silence that was filled with the soft rustling of the leaves and an occasional chirp of the birds.

"What's your name?"

The girl was surprised out of her thoughts, as she turned to look at the man at her side. "My… name?" She cocked her head to the side. "What is yours?"

Inuyasha looked straight ahead, not willing to meet her gaze. "I asked you first, woman."

"My name…" She frowned, as if trying to remember something that refused to reveal itself. "My name is… K-Kagome?" The word sounded foreign on her tongue, and the miko repeated it, "Kagome… yes. I was named Kagome by my parents." She studied his face. "What are you called?"

The half-demon kept his eyes away. "Inuyasha," he answered gruffly.

The simple introduction caused 'Kagome' to relax as another smile came to her face. "Inu-Yasha? Dog-demon? Or perhaps it is dog-forest-spirit? A fitting name for one such as yourself."

The light-hearted tone of her voice made the hanyou to turn his watch onto the girl next to him. For some reason, he felt so much at peace with her- something that was been rare with strangers. She carried such an air of friendliness, that it was hard to believe that she could, and would, have killed him only moments ago.

A fluttering butterfly flew close to one of Inuyasha's ears, and Kagome watched as it flicked, trying to rid itself of the disturbance. After a few unsuccessful tries, the butterfly grew tired, landing on the furry triangle. The hanyou flicked it off, but the winged insect continued to pester him, when light laughter filled the air.

He turned a rather annoyed stare at the giggling girl next to him. "You enjoy it when I'm suffering."

Her laughter died down to a grin. "I would hardly call that suffering, Inuyasha-san."

"Don't add that to my name, wench. It's Inuyasha, and just that." He didn't like titles- they made him feel more professional than he cared to think about.

"Okay, then Inuyasha, I will not add a suffix to your name, if you would use my name."

He cast her a sideways glance. "… No, bitch."

The expression on her face darkened, and she crawled a little closer. "No?"

"You heard me, _wench_."

Smiling again, Kagome shook her head and sat back. "Everything in its time."

Inuyasha was slightly thrown off guard by her relaxed atmosphere. After five centuries of solitude, this girl certainly wasn't acting terribly strangely. She had a naturally friendly demeanour, while he was still cautious in accepting her presence. In the past years, Inuyasha had had few friendships that been true, making him less prone to be sociable towards those he'd only just met. It surprised him that a person like her had been trapped for so long- and his mind drifted back to what she had whispered moments ago.

"My punishment." 

Deciding this was as good a place as many to start collecting information, Inuyasha turned his attention back to the softly smiling miko.

"What were you talking about when you said punishment?"

Her entire form stiffened at this, and the smile faded a little, becoming forced. "Wh- what do you mean?"

He kept strong. "What are you doing here, in this place, when you should have moved on after you died?" Inuyasha almost winced at the sheer bluntness that was considerably rude according to long-practised customs.

A sad smile replaced the tense one. "You know, then, that I am not truly 'alive'?"

He remained silent, waiting for her explanation.

"I suppose that it is true that I am 'dead', though what can be classified as 'dead'? It is, after all, simply a word, is it not?" She turned to meet his gaze morosely. "I know not how long it has been since my body was broken, except that I have been here for a long time."

She stopped talking for a while, taking a pause. Inuyasha waited.

She continued with her explanation, "When a person dies, their soul moves on, whether to be reborn or to be lifted into the different stages of the afterlife. Some people spend their entire lives preparing for their death, to rectify their sins, and to be able to rise to the highest heaven, while others live a life of sin so wicked that they are sent to burn in the seven hells before given another chance through reincarnation."

There was another pause, but this time, Inuyasha felt the need to prod her. "What about you?"

Kagome lifted her head as blue clashed with gold. "I… was not able to move on." She abruptly stood up. "I was foolish, and believed in something frivolous that caused my death." She turned her back to him and began to stroll into the forest. Inuyasha jumped to his feet, attempting to follow, but she whipped around again. He was startled to find a shimmering layer of emotion over her ocean-blue eyes. "I was locked away into the very sanctuary built to house my ashes…" She drifted off.

"Why are you here?"

She drew in a shaky breath "… I am here for my punishment."

The hanyou reached out for the miko who had started to walk away. However, with each of her light footfalls, her image began to fade as she slowly disappeared.

The hanyou had never studied ghosts much in school, since they were so rare- spirits that were half in this world, and half in the spirit world. They could fade away, disappear, only to return when they saw it fit. They had no physical shape, but did have an image, and a shadow of the scent they had carried while alive. He knew that some spirits were kept in the physical world as a form of punishment, while others had lost their way. However, that was the extent of his knowledge.

He'd have some more researching to do inside…

Inuyasha tried once more to gain more information. "Punishment for what?"

The girl turned around, shadows covering her rapidly fading image. "For what?" Especially now, her voice had become more hollow, but if it was entirely due to her fading, Inuyasha did not know. The smile on her face was dispirited, and her gaze was far-off. "For what? Do you truly wish to know?

"…

"I…

"I… loved… and was punished for it."

And she disappeared completely, leaving a greatly puzzled hanyou.

"Loved?"

And it was only then that it struck Inuyasha how much he didn't know, and that he hadn't asked her while he'd had a chance. How simple had it been, to just break into the place, when now, he had uncovered a tragedy that could be far deeper than he had ever assumed. The hanyou could only stand there, accompanied by only his thoughts, staring at the place where the spirit called Kagome had last been.

The wind continued to blow.

* * *

R-r-review R-r-responses! For the future reference, if the chapter gets to be too long, I'm going to have to scrape out on some review responses… i.e. answering only questions, or by email… But remember, reviews are _always_ appreciated.(hint hint… =D):

-- hanyou-elf

I'm glad you enjoy it! That makes stories so much easier to write! And yes, it is best to keep the characters in… character, but also in co-ordination of what has happened in the universe they were spit into! Thanks for the review!

1 Inu/Kag

-- animemistress419

Thanks for the review… here's the update!

-- anechan

Every day? How about every… five or six days? The updates will be a little slow with school and all, but if you want to know how I'm progressing on a chappie, check out my profile page! Also, I'm going to create a notify list- in fact, by the time I post this, it will have been started! (Scroll down to the bottom of the page for more info!) Also, I'm glad you decided to read InuYasha fanfics- there are a lot of gems out there!

-- AnimeSoul3

Short review! : ) Inu/Kag it is!

1 Inu/Kag

-- bebe

Heh. Sure!

1 Inu/Kag

-- Poison Death Tree

Heh. I'm only hyper every _other_ day… -.-;;

-- Angelic0263

Sure (Inu/Kag rocks), I'll keep writing till the bitter end! …cough Thanks for your review!

-- Izayoi

I'm sorry… I really did intend for them to meet, but then I got lazy… and that seemed like a good place to stop… -.-;; They met in this chapter though! (Yay!)

-- Kaiya-inu/kagforever

Heh. I agree. It'll be interesting how this fic'll end ne?

1 Inu/Kag

-- BabyBat0127

Thanks for the compliment! I try to keep my writing quality up… But there are lots of good authors out there too!

1 Inu/Kag

-- WhiteDloud

Cliffhangers? ::evil grin:: You ain't seen nothing yet… (Oh the grammar…! .) You're going crazy? Don't want that to happen… (Yes, I'm serious…)

-- WinterBlossom/YukiSakura

Thanks! And thanks for the review too!

1 Inu/Kag

-- Amanda Trinh

Cold? As in- bad? Don't worry, the story will be Inu/Kag… whether they'll be able to stay together, however…

1 Inu/Kag

-- darkscorpio

Well… what happened, happened… And this is what happened. Get it? Heh. I don't get it… .

1 Inu/Kag

-- Dark-Magician-41

It's quite all right. School… is not very… co-operative right now.. Rei… I wouldn't want to be in your shoes. But anyway, thanks for your review!

-- CJ-Chan

Heh. That would have been an interesting take of the situation…

-- Yooso

Oooh… If you hate me for _this_ cliffy…XD. Thanks for your review!

-- FieryDemonFox

Wind Scar? But then where did the demonic forces come from for him to use it? Hn… Ha! I got it! He-! …Whoops. You'll just have to find out… ; )

-- pattycake

The chapters should keep coming… Ah yes, what kind of story would this be without lots and lots of suspense?

1 Inu/Kag

-- Samieko

Heh. I agree… not as she is now, anyway. Maybe she had a chance before (I'm referring to the series), but 50 years later? Nah.

-- fairy tail faerie

Yes, I gathered that. Thanks for the review!

-- Katami

Heh. I see, but technically (according to the story line), Kikyou has part of Kagome's soul- the part that hates and all that stuff (so how she can love is beyond me). Her 'body' is made of clay, but apart from all that, she's still a 'human'. At this point in the (Japanese) manga, I think she's finally beginning to wake up… but I won't spoil anymore in case you haven't read up to here yet. (and I'll stop rambling!)

-- astro-24

Kikyou lovers are out there, but this is definitely going to be an Inu/Kag fic!

-- Azmidiske

I'll try, I'll try… =D

* * *

[Ok. The voting will continue throughout the entire story, and I'll post the final result in the final chapter. I have to re-calibrate the votes because… well… I wasn't really paying that much attention to it… -.-;; But, to make my life easier from the screening and all, please, vote only once. By the way, the count's still 0 for Kikyou…

As you may or may not have noticed, the properties of Tetsusaiga have changed somewhat. Now, it transforms whenever Inuyasha (or it?) feels like it, instead of when a person is in danger.

!! I have created a notify list for The Sealed Garden, just in case you don't have author alert (or are too lazy to get it?). The URL to join rid of the spaces.

Till next time…

Ja!]


	7. Unexpected Visit

Disclaimer: I'm working on it, but no, Inuyasha isn't mine… (yet)…

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"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

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[I am ALIVE! (for now)

Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.]

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--Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

{And it was only then that it struck Inuyasha how much he didn't know, and that he hadn't asked her while he'd had a chance. How simple had it been, to just break into the place, when now, he had uncovered a tragedy that could be far deeper than he had ever assumed. He could only stand there, accompanied by only his thoughts, staring at the place where Kagome had last been.

The wind continued to blow.}

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****

Chapter SEVEN:

Unexpected Visit

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The minutes passed, but the dog-eared man stood frozen in that one spot- unmoving, still looking into the dark depths of the forest. He did nothing, only the occasional blink of the eye or flick of the ear announcing the fact that he was alive, and not a statue.

For seemed like an eternity, the garden was quiet and undisturbed. It was as if nature itself was holding its breath and awaiting Inuyasha's next move. Only the wind, which is controlled by nothing, blew through the trees, rustling their emerald green leaves.

Finally, the single cry of a bird shattered the silence, and the golden-eyed hanyou blinked. He shook his head, as if awaking from a deep slumber- or having been disturbed from his thoughts. The noise came rushing back as the wildlife reawakened, and the air was filled with the cheerful sounds of animals.

"Where'd she go?" Inuyasha's voice was barely more than a whisper and his words were carried away by the soft breeze. Hesitantly, he took a few steps forward, the soft grass tickling the soles of his feet.

What had happened?

He'd asked a simple question, and then the woman had had that sudden emotional swing. 'Maybe I touched a nerve?' thought the puzzled hanyou.

Once he'd reached the edge of the forest, the half-demon stopped walking and placed a hand on the smooth bark of the nearest tree. From the entrance, the small woods seemed very dark and even a little foreboding to the hanyou. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, and relieving the tension that he didn't know had built upon meeting the spirit.

With his eyesight gone, Inuyasha's other senses were intensified. He was able to smell the cleanliness of the air; the fresh dew on green leaves and the scents of countless smaller animals. White dog-ears twitched as the sounds made solely by the forest reached them.

Here, the hanyou felt strangely at peace. It seemed as though the world mattered not in this place, and as though his soul were light and free. It was like he was familiar with this place, almost as if he had lived here all his life. It was strange, especially considering the fact that he'd never been here before, but for now, Inuyasha welcomed the calm.

But then he felt something in the air- something completely extraordinary. It had taken a while, but now, the half-demon could sense the barest of mystical power in the air. It was a curious feeling- almost like electric currants were flowing through the atmosphere. All organic things emit this power- it is what makes living things so alive, and all livings things have the ability to detect it. Only, some things have a higher concentration of such a force, making it easier to ascertain.

Most are so used to feeling these forces- _auras_, if you may, that it becomes a part of daily life, and it is not used as frequently as the other senses. However, others are more sensitive, some so sensitive, that they are able to detect any living creature and classify it simply by reading the aura.

In any case, though Inuyasha wasn't one who was trained to observe this energy, he was able to tell that this forest was filled with mystical forces- that, or it contained one with a being with a highly concentrated one.

He felt a strange yearning for whatever was emitting such power. Unconsciously, he stepped forward into the forest, some other force telling him that he had to possess the item; that he had to get it for himself. It was almost frightening, how the rush of desire wanted to take over his very body. Almost in a trance, Inuyasha found himself walking deeper into the forest, and with every step he took, the longing only grew stronger.

Suddenly, he stumbled back with a pained cry, "Shit!"

Carefully sitting down on the forest floor, the hanyou lifted his leg and studied the sole of his right foot. There, embedded within the centre of his foot, was a thorn, though from where it came, Inuyasha didn't know. Sharp claws dug the barb out, and the half-demon irritably tossed it over his shoulder and into the forest.

"Damn…"

He watched as the cut slowly closed, and after a few minutes passed by, the injury was nothing more than a blemish on his skin. The hanyou stood up, this time watching the ground for any other sharp objects, and stalked out of the forest, his hunger for power having been forgotten. Indeed, he himself didn't fully remember that intense feeling- only a shadow of a memory that left his body tingling.

As he left the forest, the hanyou cast one last glance over his shoulder at the seemingly innocent trees, but for some reason, half of him wanted to be as far away from it as possible, while the other half wished for nothing more than to go in.

"Next time." He promised himself as the half-demon slowly stepped into the bright sunshine once more. "I'll come back after I get some things straight."

After a few seconds, Inuyasha had reached the place when he'd sat with the miko Kagome, and he paused for a moment.

Where he had sat, the blades of grass had bent, giving a clear indication of a person having rested there. However, when the hanyou shifted his gaze to where she had been, he could find no evidence in the ground of anything. The only clue he had of her actually having been there, was her lingering scent.

He let out a breath, and slowly walked over towards the entrance of the garden. Once there, the half-demon picked up Tetsusaiga, which he had dropped. Throwing the garden another glance, Inuyasha paused with his hand on the large golden ring before finally pulling one of the great doors open, and stepping outside.

Upon closing the wooden doors, the hanyou was struck by how hot it was in the open air and his nose was suddenly assaulted by the subtle, yet ever present stench of modern life. Although he did live in the rural region, even this place wasn't entirely free of the pollution caused by modern technology. He checked his wristwatch and blinked at the time.

"Twelve?" Time had passed quickly in the garden. "It's lunchtime already?" As if accenting that point, Inuyasha's stomach gave a short rumble.

As all young men are like, this half-demon immediately heeded his hunger and ran in the direction of his house, headed straight for the kitchens. He sprinted along one side of the house, speeding along as quickly as he could- he'd always loved running. It gave him a sort of thrill from going as fast as he could without the aid of a vehicle. It made him feel free and as if he could out run even the wind.

His fun was short lived when he neared the side door, ending the gallop much too soon for Inuyasha's liking. Quickly slowing down, the hanyou slid open the door and abruptly realised something- he'd forgotten his shoes. He paused in the doorway but then made his decision, stepping into the house- he'd get the shoes some other time. He'd never really liked them anyway; they were too restricting.

The half-demon strolled along the hallway and soon came up to the kitchen. He had already decided on what he was going to eat. It was, in his opinion, the most delicious concoction ever created by man, even if it did lack in nutritional value- but who needed that anyway?

Ramen.

The food of the gods.

The hanyou passed the large electric stoves and the island near the centre of the kitchen. There were cupboards located under the counters located all around the kitchen with another row of them along the wall. Inuyasha bypassed most of them until he came to one.

He opened it… and frowned.

His supply was running low.

From the two or so boxes he'd brought to his new house, only a few packets remained. He'd have to go shopping soon-

Inuyasha _hated_ shopping. He absolutely _detested_ it.

The only time he did tolerate it was when it was in urgent need of food (generally ramen), in which case the hanyou would simply speed off to the nearest supermarket and stock up on the instant noodles. It was only once in a while when he did buy some other types of edibles.

Pulling out one of the packets, the half-demon opened the next cupboard and drew out a bowl. He quickly opened the package, drawing out the dried noodles and the soup base. Going through the well-known steps, the moderately hungry man soon had a steaming bowl of beef flavoured noodles sitting in front of him.

He was just about to dig in with a pair of chopsticks in one hand when suddenly an unfamiliar ring rang out through the house. It took him a few seconds, but Inuyasha soon realised that it had been the doorbell.

'Who could that be?' For a moment, he thought that perhaps, if he ignored it, the person would just go away? But no sooner had that thought crossed his mind then the doorbell gave another ring-

-and another

-and another…

Apparently, either his caller was very impatient, or they were having a little fun with his doorbell…

Regretfully, the hanyou left his food with a heavy sigh. Jogging through the halls, an irritable scowl grew on his face and by the time he'd finally reached the main door, Inuyasha was in a definite bad mood.

Sliding the shouji door perhaps a little more forcefully than he meant, the man glared outside at whomever had disturbed his meal. "What do you want?"

The person blinked owlishly at him, his eyes wide and the sandy bangs falling over the top of his face. His index finger was still positioned over the button, ready to give it another few pushes. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow- hadn't he seen this guy somewhere before?

"Hello, mister. I just came to check up on you, sir, to see how you were settling at your new house." A grin crossed the person's face. "It sure is big, no?"

Anger replaced by confusion, the hanyou searched his memory for the familiar face, but could come up with nothing. "And you are…?"

The other's eyes widened innocently, but his smile didn't waver. "I'm Houjo! Remember?" Inuyasha gave no indication of recognising the name. "You know… the cab driver?"

Then it all clicked.

"Oh." Golden eyes were filled with a light of understanding. "You're that Hobo guy!"

"Houjo, Mamoru-san. My name's Houjo."

"Yeah, whatever Hono. And don't call me Mamoru-san. The name's Inuyasha." He crossed his arms. "What are you doing out here?"

The boyish looking cabby rubbed the back of his head, tousling the mop of brown hair. "I was just checking up, mister. Maybe you needed some help or company?" He grinned hopefully.

The hanyou stared at him flatly. "What did you really come for?"

"You don't believe me?"

Inuyasha sighed. "If I needed help, you would have some sooner. If I needed company…" He paused. "I don't need your company."

The expression on Houjo's face became sheepish as his hand moved to rub the back of his neck. "Well actually, I did come for another reason…"

The half-demon looked at him expectantly, "Yes…?"

"Well see, I've always heard legends about your house… especially the garden, right?"

"Your point?" Inuyasha had a feeling he knew where this was headed.

Houjo continued, "I just wanted to know if you've found anything else?" His face was alight with eagerness.

A sudden feeling of protectiveness washed over the half-human and his expression hardened. "Why?"

He didn't know why he didn't want to tell anything to the cabby. Maybe he wanted to keep the secret all to himself and to have a sanctuary of which nobody else knew of. Perhaps he wished to be able to find out more, but for one reason or another Inuyasha just didn't want to reveal the formerly sealed garden to this guy.

"I guess it's just curiosity, but it's not everyday that someone you know has an impregnable fortress in their backyard." The driver paused for thought. "Then again, it's not everyday that you meet someone who owns a mansion either."

The hanyou crossed his arms. "Well there's nothing here right now. I've discovered nothing. I've found nobody."

The slightest of darkness flickered over the cabby's face, but once Inuyasha tried to get a better look, he seemed innocent once more. He slowly leaned in closer, gesturing for the half-demon to bend down as if he were about to convey a secret. "Well, word has it that you managed to find a way to break the seal. Is that right?"

Inuyasha stepped back in slight alarm. "Wh-what? Where did you hear this?"

"A friend told me. So is it right? Did you really break the seal?" It could have been the bright sunlight, but the hanyou swore that Houjo's smile was somewhat mocking and smug.

…

But then again, this was _Houjo_ here.

It must have been the sun.

The golden-eyed man shook his head; his lips set in a line and his face expressionless. However, on the inside, his guts were curling in suspicion. Just who this 'friend', prying into his affairs? He'd detected nobody around the garden except for the usual birds and bees. "Your friend was wrong. Maybe he was trying to trick you or something, but nothing out of the ordinary'' happened here for a long time now," He lied through his teeth.

The cabby looked ever so disappointed, but there was still that glint of _something _in his eyes that Inuyasha really didn't care to identify. "Oh."

"So why don't you get going now?" Suggested the hanyou in the not-so-subtle hint for him to get off of his property. "I'm sure there are lots of other people out there who're waiting for rides."

The human nodded, amicable and oblivious once more, and turned around. Inuyasha closed the door with a shake of the head and began to walk back towards the kitchens. However, eating was one of the last things on his mind. He was confused and put on edge by this sudden development. Where there people watching his house?

But then another possibility struck the hanyou and he sighed. It was probably just Hoko making things up again…

He was three quarters of the way across the anti-chamber when…

"DING DONG"

The hanyou paused, eyes closing in annoyance. As he drew closer to the main entrance, the scent of that annoying man drifting in through the cracks. He took a moment to collect himself before opening the door to come face to face with Houjo once more.

"Hello!" the cab driver greeted as though they hadn't spoken only minutes prior.

Inuyasha wasted no time in getting straight to the point. "What're you still doing here?"

"I just thought that maybe I could have a look around the place? I'd always liked to come here as a boy, and now that I might actually be able to explore it…"

The half-demon gaped at him in a mixture of shock and surprise. They had barely met, and now this guy wanted to be invited in? "No, you can't. Now get lost." He abruptly slammed the door in the poor man's face, totally missing the dark expression on the supposedly innocent cabby's visage.

This time, Inuyasha made it as far as the western door when the doorbell rang yet again.

"Damn it all!"

The hanyou stomped back to the door and viscously yanked it open. "What the hell do you want _now_?!"

But he wasn't looking at Houjo's face.

Instead, the perplexed and slightly shocked countenance of somebody far more familiar threw Inuyasha for quite the loop.

"Miroku?!"

The black-haired friend from out of university scratched his head, confusion etched all over his face. "What are you doing here, Inuyasha?"

The shock not having completely worn off, the other crossed his unconsciously crossed his arms. "I should be asking you that. What the hell are you doing at my house when I didn't even give you my damn address?"

It wasn't that he didn't like Miroku. In fact, they were best buddies, but the man did tend to be… annoying at times. However, even with the questionable habits, Miroku was reliable and had often helped Inuyasha out of many a mess. He'd always meant to give his new address to him, but it had been forgotten, and by the time the hanyou had remembered, he was far too busy with the 'garden business' to have called his friend up.

"This is _your_ house?" His violet eyes widened. "Mansion, more like. So _this_ is the place you inherited… Not bad at all, Yash! I knew your family was rich, but to have owned a place like this?"

"Yeah, yeah. Now what _are_ you doing this far out of the city? I thought you'd moved in with Sango."

"I did," Miroku affirmed, "Don't you remember I'm a monk in training? I'm taking a look at the different shrines located around the area for Mushin. I contacted one of his friends, and he said that there's an old shrine here."

Inuyasha frowned. "Who told you?"

"I did!" A familiar voice spoke up from somewhere behind the university graduate. Miroku moved aside, revealing the balding old priest who managed the shrine within the mansion. "This young man here kindly asked me to show him around the place, and I agreed. He's a nicely mannered man, unlike some people." Higurashi-san glared pointedly at the silver-haired hanyou.

Inuyasha, however, ignored him and turned his attention back to Miroku. "Aren't you a Buddhist monk? It's a Shinto shrine."

The violet-eyed man shrugged. "About ninety percent of the Japanese population follow both religions, so why not get some background information? Besides, it's always good to know something about other beliefs. Buddhism teaches one to respect everything, and that means all people and their faiths."

The half-demon opened the door a little more and stepped back, allowing space for the other man to enter. However, when the elder tried to step in as well, Inuyasha blocked his access. "Sorry, old man, but I've got some things I have to discuss with Miroku here." And he promptly shut the door.

The monk-in-training looked at him curiously, but followed Inuyasha without questions as he lead the way into the mansion, directly into the central chamber. There, the hanyou allowed him to wander.

"Hey, what was with the great greeting?"

The hanyou turned around. "Some guy was pissing me off just before you came. You must've seen him: brownish hair, wimpy looking… about our age…"

His friend frowned. "Higurashi and I didn't see anybody."

Inuyasha was distinctly puzzled. Miroku shrugged and started to explore the room, but the half-demon stayed where he was. This Hoko guy was more suspicious than he'd thought.

"Whoa," Miroku gave a low whistle, "This place is huge!" He kept on looking this way and that, obviously fascinated by the sheer size of the place. "Why is it so big?" When he caught sight of the weapons section, the man slowly walked into the area, a hand reaching out to trace one of the katanas. "Wow… These things are old! But in such condition!" He removed it for a closer study.

Inuyasha stood near by, lost in thought about how he would approach the matter of the ghost to Miroku, for that was what he'd wanted to talk about. He was a spiritual man and somebody Inuyasha knew he could trust.

"Say, Yash?"

"Mmn?" He gave an absent reply, turning to glance at his friend who had just come out of the library.

"Why is there a mess in there? A shelf fell down and scrolls are all over the place… And I swear that I saw the biggest cockroach on the ground…" He shuddered. He never did like insects. Tolerated them. But hated them.

Inuyasha shrugged. "Clean it up later. Now did you want to see that shrine?"

As they headed towards the back of the room, the hanyou sprung his question. "Hey, what do you think about ghosts?"

Miroku shot him a curious glance. "Ghosts? You mean spirits that are found in this world?"

"Yeah."

"I don't really know what to believe myself, but Buddhism explains that… Wow." He had drifted off upon arriving at the back of the chamber where the shrine was. "This is nice." He took a camera from a backpack and started taking pictures of the altars. "Hey, thanks, Yash." He carefully walked around the room.

"Whatever." Inuyasha was anxious to get back onto the topic of ghosts. "What were you saying?"

"Oh, yeah. Well, in Buddhism, when a person dies, their consciousness takes one of the six paths of rebirth. They can become heavenly beings, humans, asuras- that is to say, somebody who had many things in life, yet still fought, hell-beings, and hungry ghosts." He put the camera away and took out a notepad. "Hungry ghosts were originally beings who were greedy and lived a negative lifestyle. They become ghosts who suffer for their deeds and are eternally hungry, hence the name."

"Oh…" Well that didn't seem to fit the description of how Kagome had lived. She had been, and still was a miko born to serve the people. Surely, she had done many generous deeds.

"Why do you ask?"

Amber eyes looked up to discover that Miroku had finished his inspection. "Why shouldn't I ask?"

He chuckled. "Really, Inuyasha. In all the years I lived with you, you never once showed an interest in any religion."

"I did study the supernatural. With you, in fact."

"That's true, but why the questions now, eh?"

The half-demon rubbed the back of his neck. "What if I said I saw a ghost?"

"A hungry ghost? Or merely a spirit, unable to move on?"

Inuyasha frowned. "There's a difference?"

"Of course."

He waited. "Well?"

"Well what?" The violet-eyed man quirked an eyebrow.

The hanyou growled in frustration. "Well, what's the difference?"

"A spirit unable to move on is just as the title suggests. They may have been a generous person in life or even somebody who hadn't been so righteous. When they died, something held them back, be it guilt, love, anything that is not physical. They are unable to move on to be reborn and are stuck in the physical world."

Inuyasha nodded. "So, how can you make one of them go?"

Miroku shot him another curious glance. "You help them resolve their problems, but that could take years."

The hanyou shrugged and muttered to himself, "It's not like I have anything else to do…"

"Say…"

"What?"

"Where is this alleged spirit then? For it to have provoked such thought out of _you_…"

"Shut up. And it's not an 'it', she's a 'her'."

That sparked the human's attention instantly. "A 'her', you say. Is she cute? Beautiful? Old? Young? Buxom?"

Inuyasha shot him a dirty look. And just when he'd thought Miroku had changed… "She's about five hundred and twenty-something years old, if you're interested." He replied sarcastically.

"Ah. An older lady then… what does she look like? Is she as beautiful as my lovely Sango?"

"I don't think your 'lovely Sango' would appreciate you comparing her to a spirit who's over five centuries old. And as for her appearance, take a look at that picture and judge her yourself." He pointed at the painting that had caught his attention what seemed like ages, but had only been days ago.

Interested, Miroku walked over. "Not a bad looking girl, but she's a shrine maiden. She really is pretty, but not as good looking as Sango-chan."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. This was a first- Miroku not making any perverted comments about her physique? Maybe he _had_ matured.

"Hmmm… Not a bad body either; quite the ass-" 

"Miroku!"

Scratch that, he was just as dirty as he used to be…

"-ets. Assets. That's what I meant to say."

The hanyou shook his head. "And you're a monk in training?"

"Hey, is it my fault I appreciate the finer points on the fairer sex? What's the harm in that, anyway?"

"If Sango were here, you'd probably be passed out on the floor by now," warned the half-demon.

"Yes, she really is a feisty girl. Wears even me out sometimes…" Miroku grinned rather lecherously, and Inuyasha decided that he didn't want to know. "So, any pretty girls around here? You meet anyone? Other than our lady spirit, that is." He added.

"Her name's Kagome."

Miroku quirked an eyebrow. "So, you know her name now, do you? I just hope you realise she is a spirit, which means she has no body, which means-"

"Oh shut up. I don't like her. I'm just trying to get her to get outta my garden." Inuyasha sat down, cross-legged on the ground.

The human joined him, choosing to lean against the wall just outside of the shrine. "And what has she done that merited her to be stranded in this world?"

"You believe me?"

"My friend, these things aren't as unusual as the textbooks make it seem. Believe me, I'm a monk."

"You sure don't act like it.' Muttered the half-demon.

"Sorry?"

Inuyasha feigned innocence. "Nothing." Miroku scowled at him suspiciously. "Well, if you really want to know about the spirit, I'm going to tell you a legend…"

"Joy."

"Shut the hell up."

The monk raised his palms. "Well, you aren't exactly the best story teller there is, Yash. Remember that time you had to tell a story to those kindergarten kids?"

"I said, shut up."

"Actually, your exact words were…"

I know what my words were! Now shut up and listen to the fucking story!" Now he remembered why rooming with Miroku was so tedious.

A silence enveloped the room.

"I'm waiting," drawled the man.

Inuyasha shot him another dirty look before quickly relaying what he had been told by Houjo the cabby on that ride so long ago. He added in his days of research and his discovery of Tetsusaiga. The hanyou explained how he had figured everything out (though he left out the time in which it took) and explained how he had gotten into the garden. Soon, the meeting of the miko had been relayed as well. He left out no details, purposefully making the experience as long as possible just so he could torture the monk.

After the legend and the progress were told, the half-demon looked at the man- and discovered his eyes were shut.

"Miroku!"

Violet eyes slowly opened to focus on the hanyou. "Relax, Inuyasha. I heard the whole thing. It's an interesting story."

…

That was it?

That was all he had to say about what had been his obsession over the past days?

"Can I see this Tetsusaiga?"

That request suddenly brought Inuyasha's attention to the fact that it wasn't with him. "Shit!" He bolted up.

Alarmed, his friend stood up as well, following the half-demon who was now running around frantically, looking for the sword. "Something wrong?"

"Where the hell is it? I put it somewhere…"

"Inuyasha, calm down. Think. Where were you when you last saw your katana?"

The hanyou thought for a moment before alighting on an answer. "The kitchen!" Then another thought struck him. "My ramen!"

The violet-eyed man tsked. "Inuyasha, are you still eating ramen as your only source of nutrition? You realise that's not healthy, right?" He followed the half-demon out of the room and through the western door.

"Screw healthy. It tastes good."

Miroku was inclined to roll his eyes, but once he caught site of the many rooms that lined the hallway, he voiced another question. "Hey, don't you get lost here? There are so many rooms!"

"34 bedrooms, 24 bathrooms, 6 dining rooms, 2 kitchens, 2 open areas." Listed the hanyou absently. "It took me two or three days to get used to the place."

"34 bedrooms, eh? It really is huge. Could house many people…"

As they reached the kitchen, Inuyasha frowned at him. "Don't get any ideas, monk. I went through four years of rooming with you, I'm not looking to extend that." He opened the door and they walked over to where the now cold bowl of noodles sat.

Miroku raised his palms in a sign of peace. "I'm not getting any ideas."

The half-demon picked up his sword, relieved that it was still here and in one piece. "This," He drew it, and the blade transformed in a flash of light, "is Tetsusaiga."

The human's eyes widened and he leaned in close to the sword, fingering the sharp edge of the blade. "It's a demon katana. Judging from its aura, it's extremely powerful, but can only be wielded by a select group of demons, or half-demons in your case." He took a moment longer to study the sword. "In fact, if what you say about the sword is true, then only those who have the blood of the one whose fang is the sword can wield it."

"What?"

Standing up, Miroku clarified, "It means you're the heir of the Western Lands, idiot. That is, if the story behind the sword is true and if I'm reading the aura correctly." He absently slapped away a large bee that had been buzzing around the room. It flew out the window.

"What?! I'm… whoa." Inuyasha shook his head. "That would be really… cool. Is there an importance to that?"

"I'm going to have to ask Sango about the roles of the Lords, but I think it has something to do with keeping the peace in the area. You might want to ask Sesshoumaru" At the mention of the youkai, Inuyasha growled. "Sesshoumaru's a full blooded youkai and he might know more about things such as this. Perhaps he's even aware of his youkai status." He checked his watch. "I have to get going now- dinner date with Sango, but I'll look for information regarding this garden of yours."

"Yeah, you do that." They walked out of the kitchen and towards the front entrance.

"And I expect to meet this lady spirit of yours."

"I'll be sure to warn her."

"Ha ha." Remarked the monk dryly.

"I thought so." A thought struck Inuyasha as they neared his room. "Hey, wait up. I've got something to give you." He dashed into the room, leaving a mildly curious man behind. Soon, the hanyou emerged with a mysterious manila envelope. He tucked it into Miroku's backpack with a rather evil grin on his face. "Don't open it till you get home. Maybe you and Sango can look through it together."

The man raised an eyebrow but asked no questions and he strolled out of the front door. "I'll see you later, Yash."

"Whatever."

"And once more thing- if you really want to get rid of her, get to know her better. Trust is very important. Don't get too personal or she's liable to purify you. She's from the past, so be very respectable- at least, until you know each other better."

"Right."

Inuyasha slid the door closed. Miroku had given him a lot to think about, and although the visit was unexpected, it certainly hadn't been profitable. The information he'd gained certainly would help him in confronting the spirit again. He would also get his revenge if he did what Inuyasha hoped he would do.

The evil grin returned.

'He's in for a surprise… especially if Sango sees.'

* * *

Review Responses:

-- devinedragonslayer

Sky eyes? It's actually a true thing, description that the Natives used- I read it somewhere, but where, I forgot. And as for Kikyou, it's true, and although I do pity her, I wish she'd be able to move on already…

-- astro-24 

Sango and Miroku? They're minor characters, but I think they'll play some part in the story…

-- Katami

Yes, yes. And the Sess/Kagu thing- I don't think that's nearly as disturbing as Sess/Rin (in the manga) though. It'd be like… marrying your dad (or step-dad- whatever floats your boat)

-- Minako-chan4

Eh? Tree? Pin? You're talking about the original (manga/anime) legend, aren't you? But no, reincarnation's not as big in my story (coughcough), and the betrayal's going to be of a different scale from that…

-- sashlea

Heh. Interesting. And why she wanted to hide the writings? If I don't get to explain that in the story, then I'll answer it directly… later.

-- hanyou-elf

I'm glad… I'm glad. You came back! =D All of the questions raised in previous questions should be answered by the end of the story…

-- Amanda Trinh

Is Kikyou a spirit? _Will_ there be a love triangle? You'll have to find out.

-- power2thepink

The jounal was meant to be vague, but I guess I'll just tell you- it was Kikyou's diary, and she was referring to Kagome. As to who the protector of the jewel was/is, take a wild stab in the dark, and if you don't get it, I'll reveal it in a later chapter.

**Many thanks to: **

Dark-Magician-41 (Is Rei alright? Actually, are _you_ alright?)

animemistress419 (Did you vote before? Inu/Kag… sure!)

SilverShadow1450 (I agree, but at least they're trying… or are they?)

WhiteDloud (True, but she _has_ been trapped for five centuries…)

Japanese Dragon (Chalk up another for Inu/Kag!)

CatzCraddle (Yeah! Thanks!)

LostArtist (Thanks! I had a wonderful time!)

sakura-kon (Hai, hai, they visit…XD)

FieryDemonFox (If you ask me, they flew by too fast… ¬.¬ Thanks for all of your review!)

Hishani (Thank you! Inu/Kag it is!)

Poison Death Tree (Merci Beaucoup!)

Izayoi (Yes, they finally did, ne?)

inu-kag-4evr (Finish? The story's just starting… actually, not really.)

darkscorpio28 (All will be revealed in the future…)

Evilmiko21

Krystal-Jade

pinksakurablossom04

Samieko (Yes… think about her upbringing)

Kill-all-Flamers-210

falcony32

yooso

Aozora-chan

* * *

¬.¬ If I missed any, I'll catch up later. As for the vote progress, I'm going to get them up to date as soon as I post this chapter, and remember- the voting continues until the end of the story, and you can only vote once!

(I do believe it's still 0 for Kikyou...)

* * *

[Terribly, horribly sorry for my extremely late update. It's just that one thing followed another, and before I knew it, practically a month flew away. (For full list of excuses, please refer to bio.) Not only that, but this chapter was a little… boring, ne? I had to introduce Miroku and his views on the matter, and all that other stuff.

The writing style changed throughout the chapter since part of it was written while I was barely able to type while others were written directly after reading some Tolkien and Rowling.

Oh yes.

For all of you who think Houjo's evil (in the series), I have given you reason to believe he is so in this story as well. What's going on?

Well, I just hope that the next chapter doesn't take too long to get out…

No promises though. Summer is just as busy as the rest of the year what with the activities and all.

But again, SORRY! And I hope you all stick with me…

Till next time…

Ja!]


	8. The Wind User

Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha, then... well, let's just say I don't own Inuyasha and leave it at that.

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

.

[This chapter is dedicated to everybody who reviewed! Thanks!]

--Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

{Inuyasha slid the door closed. Miroku had given him a lot to think about, and although the visit was unexpected, it certainly hadn't not been profitable. The information he'd gained certainly would help him in confronting the spirit again. He would also get his revenge if he did what Inuyasha hoped he would do.

The evil grin returned.

'He's in for a surprise… especially if Sango sees.'}

.

****

Chapter EIGHT:

The Wind User

.

Morning dawned outside his bedroom in a bright display of colour, but Inuyasha paid no attention to it. He was immersed in one of his old textbook- one of the few the hanyou had actually kept from his schooling days. All through the night, he'd checked reference volumes for any clue at all as to the behavior of spirits and their attributes.

And so far, he'd found nothing particularly useful.

'I hate doing this.'

Standing up from his position on the ground, the half-demon stretched, a great yawn breaking his face as his tongue rolled out- similar to the fashion of a dog. Reading textbooks was horribly boring, but some occasions called for it. Unfortunately, this occasion was beyond the help of written text.

It was the morning after Miroku had paid him that visit, and Inuyasha had certainly been thinking about the information that he had been conveyed. One of the more prominent issues was that of him being the heir of the Lord of the Western Lands. How could he be so sure of that? Sure, Tetsusaiga was a formidable sword, and the hanyou was certain that it once belonged to a Lord, and true, his father had been very influential in the world. But if Inuyasha truly was this important figure in the youkai society, then why hadn't he been told?

'Sesshoumaru probably kept it from me,' thought the half-demon, 'of course, he'd want all the title to himself.'

But honestly, did he really care? It had nothing to do with what he was dealing with now, after all. For all he cared, Fluffy could keep everything from him.

The half-demon ran a hand through his hair- a habit he'd picked up from Miroku years ago. Inuyasha walked around his room, stopping by the dresser to take a sip of tea from the cup resting on it.

He stuck out his tongue. "Bleah. Cold." Nevertheless, he downed the entire cup and stretched again before suddenly putting up a burst of speed and running out of the room, grabbing Tetsusaiga from a chair on his way. He ran through the hallway, making a sharp turn along the way and sped out into the yard where he ran a couple of laps around the house.

After the second circle, when his muscles were officially awake, he crossed a small bridge and stopped in the back of the yard, directly in front of the double wooden doors that lead into the garden. The hanyou strapped his 'iron cleaving fang' onto his waist- it got tiring, having to carry it everywhere.

'Time to take up the monk's advice…'

Raising a confident hand, Inuyasha pushed on the door and quietly stepped into the garden before quickly shutting it. The soft chirping of birds and buzzing of various insects greeted him along with that supernatural breeze that seemed to bring and keep fresh air in the garden. The hanyou closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath- he could really get used to this.

A solitary voice broke into the morning calm, "Back again?"

Golden eyes opened, taking in the fact that the miko was standing right in front of him and that he hadn't sensed her approaching. Inuyasha stumbled back in surprise. He'd been sure that he'd at least have been able to smell her.

"Wha-! How'd you do that?"

She laughed, a soft sound that fell pleasantly on dog-ears. "I come and go as I will…" she paused for a moment of thought, "Inuyasha. It's highly unlikely you would be able to sense me coming unless you had a distinct ability to sense and read auras."

Well, at least that eliminated the need for him to go and try to find her. Considering the size of the garden and her spiritual powers, that could have taken forever.

A slightly awkward silence stretched between the two in which they took up staring around the garden and at anything except each other. After a few moments, Kagome gestured towards the shade underneath the largest tree in the entire garden. "Would you like to sit?"

The invitation was unexpected and Inuyasha was surprised at the ease at which she invited him, a half-demon to sit with her. Rarely had people ever so easily accepted him. He nodded wordlessly and followed her to rest beneath the tree on top of its gnarled roots. It rose easily above anything else in the place and Inuyasha was sure that it was equal in height to the walls that surrounded the garden.

The half-demon sat at the base of the tree, his back against the trunk while Kagome chose to rest a few feet away from him. He glanced up into the branches, feeling an odd connection with the tree.

"This tree is called the Goshinboku. You could say it's a spiritual tree," spoke the girl, "It certainly posses powers that are not common in other trees. Some even call it a time tree."

Inuyasha didn't know what to say.

She didn't seem to mind. "It is not governed by our laws of time." Kagome sighed and patted the root she was sitting on. "This was my favourite place before I… before I…" she fell silent, but he knew that she had been about to say, 'Before I died.'

Another silence engulfed the two and Inuyasha busied himself with staring lazily at passing butterflies and bees.

"Why did you come back?"

He raised his gaze from a nearby bee collecting nectar from a small flower and looked at the miko. She was gazing at him curiously, blue eyes sparkling in interest. Inuyasha found himself staring at her for longer than nessessary in silence, and promptly tore his eyes away, a faint pink tinge on his cheeks.

"Just to talk," he answered gruffly, staring at an area just above her right shoulder, "That, and to get my shoes."

She picked up on the topic, "What kind of clothes do you wear? They're…" she frowned a little, "strange."

"They're the clothes that everybody wears right now." Inuyasha plucked at his red T-shirt and sweatpants. "A lot has changed in the world. Your clothes are from… a long time ago."

"I can see that." She raised an eyebrow. "How long ago?"

The hanyou hesitated. How did you tell somebody that they'd been dead for five hundred years? "Don't you know?" he stalled.

Kagome smiled almost wistfully. "When you're dead, time really doesn't matter anymore. Days pass and mold into weeks and years, but I don't take any notice. After all," she raised her gaze to the tree behind Inuyasha, "the dead aren't concerned by time as they cannot die twice. The dead are more worried about other things."

Inuyasha wanted to ask, 'what other things' but felt that may cause her to disappear like she had yesterday, and so skipped the question. "It's been about five hundred years or so." He tried to make it sound casual, to make the blow a little softer, but to his surprise, the girl only grinned and laughed.

"Five hundred years? Already? I must be the oldest spirit still in this world!"

The hanyou stared dumbly at the girl. You'd think that finding out that somebody had been trapped in the world for five centuries would have a negative effect…

Catching the look on Inuyasha's face, Kagome grinned at him. "As I said, time really doesn't matter to me. I can't age." There was a slight pause in sound before, "What's outside like?"

Inuyasha looked at the miko again, catching her gaze. "What d'ya mean?"

"What's the world like? Are there still huge forests everywhere? Do demons still hunt humans? What's happened since five hundred years past?"

"A lot's happened," he started slowly, ears flicking around, "humans and demons live together… sort of peacefully, but there are still those who think one is better than the other. Hanyou children are still seen as being… lower on the social scale," he couldn't help but add bitterly. "Technology has really become advanced. Now, you can call from one end of the world to another by just picking up a phone."

Kagome cocked her head to the side. "What's a 'phone'?"

"Well, you see, it's sort of like…" and Inuyasha launched into an explanation of world communication and satellites, answering her questions whenever she had any. Kagome was an ardent listener, interested in the wonders of the world and how it had changed. He talked about the different inventions such as cars and high rise buildings. The minutes passed into hours as their discussion continued and they exchanged information about their worlds.

Inuyasha was amazed at how easily they could talk to each other. He felt, somehow, comfortable with this miko while with most other people, he rarely ever spoke a word to them. It was as if they had known each other for years and not only hours. Kagome was particularly interested in the evolution of the weapons from bows and arrows and swords to guns and cannons to biological warfare.

"Are there many archers now?"

The hanyou crossed his arms behind his head and leaned back against the tree. "No. The only archers here are really for competitions and things like that. They've been replaced by guns."

"Guns?" she asked, puzzled.

"They're sort of shaped like this," using his claws, Inuyasha scratched a rough sketch of a gun into the dirt. "You load them with bullets- sorta like pieces of lead- and then aim and press the trigger, and then the bullet shoots out really quickly. At least, I think that's how they work. Guns can kill many things very quickly."

Kagome was motionless in thought. "Then the population must have dropped drastically."

"Not really. It's risen- a lot, actually."

"Are there other priestesses?"

The half-demon looked at her, "Huh?"

"Like me, I mean. Are there still miko who use bow and arrows?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "There are priestesses alright, but not all of them know how to use the bow. My friend, Miroku knows more about this than I do, but I think the spiritual powers of monks and priests and other religious people have really decreased. Only a few people can actually purify properly."

"Would you like to be purified?"

Blinking, Inuyasha glanced at Kagome. "What?!"

She had a mischevious smile on her face. "I could purify you." Kagome stood up and began to edge towards the hanyou, hands stretched out.

"Keh." He crossed his arms. "Like you could. Other youkai may be weaklings, but you won't be able to purify me." His eyes closed arrogantly.

"And why is that?" she stepped closer.

"Because I-" Inuyasha abruptly cut himself off as his head shot to look to the side where the entrance to the garden was located. "What?"

There was something there. Actually, there was somebody there- a demon. His nose twitched.

Catching the suddenly serious look on his face, the girl looked where he was staring. "What's wrong?" her eyes suddenly narrowed. "I sense Youki."

The hanyou frowned and stood up. His ears twitched. "What's the hell's that annoying noise?"

Kagome glanced at him curiously, her bow unslung from her shoulder and in hand. "What noise?" She reached for a ghostly arrow from the quiver strung across her back.

"The buzzing." Inuyasha took several cautious steps towards the door, followed by the miko. "It sounds like a huge swarm of bees…"

"Bee demons?"

"Probably."

He drew Tetsusaiga and it transformed as expected. Gripping it with both hands, the hanyou slowly walked closer to the entrance. Kagome followed, her footsteps making no indention or sound on the grass. The bow and arrow were held loosely in either hand, ready for use. Now, she could hear the buzzing as well- it was loud and steadily growing in volume as if an entire swarm was congregating outside those doors.

Inuyasha hesitantly reached out a clawed hand to pull open the door, but soon found that there was no need- they flew open on their own, blown by a huge gust of wind that threw the hanyou backwards. He flew through the air and stopped, his back colliding with a tree and shaking many leaves out of its branches.

"Inuyasha!" The girl rushed to his side. "You all right?"

He got off from the ground, shaking his head. "I'm fine."

Mocking laughter punctured the suddenly deafening silence, the lack of buzzing obvious. The two automatically turned their heads to stare at the opening where the doors had been blown open. A woman stood there holding an open fan in one hand.

She was decidedly a demon with her blood red, pupil-less eyes, and pointed ears. She wore a simple red and white striped yukata- very unusual in the modern age. Her hair was held up by a couple of feathers. Two long earrings dangled from her ear lobes.

"Who the hell're you?" Inuyasha sniffed the air. Her scent was strangely familiar to him, but he just couldn't figure out where he'd smelled it before. "What're you doing here?"

The demoness chose to ignore his questions and instead turned her gaze to the spirit beside him. "You are Kagome, miko guardian of the Shikon no Tama, are you not?"

Inuyasha frowned. 'Shikon no Tama?' He looked up at Kagome, who had suddenly gone ridged. Her aura had become spiked in alarm as she glared at the stranger. Moving his gaze, the hanyou found that her grip was no longer loose on her weapon, but tight.

"Who are you? How do you know this?" She raised her bow and notched the arrow. "Answer!"

The woman laughed again, making the hairs on the back of Inuyasha's neck stand on end. "Who am I? My name is Kagura," she bowed derisively, "sorceress of the wind." As if to demonstrate the fact, she raised her fan and brought her hand down. "Fuujin no Mai!"

Several blades of wind suddenly came flying towards the pair and Inuyasha subconsciously reached out for the miko, but his hand passed right through hers. "Kagome!" She didn't move even as a blade flew directly towards her. "Kagome!"

Having no choice, Inuyasha leapt out of the way right before he was sliced cleanly in half. The blades struck the tree and ran right through the trunk, causing it to collapse to the ground. The hanyou landed and stared at the spot where the miko had once stood.

"Kagome!"

However, as the dust cleared, one figure remained standing, an utterly neutral expression on her face. She was completely unharmed and only studied the fallen tree with mild surprise. Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief before shaking his head. 'That's right… she's dead.' He looked at the smirking demon. 'A wind sorceress? She controls… the wind…'

"Your physical attacks can't hurt me, Kagura." Kagome raised her bow again. "But my arrows can purify you!" She let loose the projectile and it flew directly towards the wind demon. As soon as it had left the bow, the arrow had started glowing a bright bluish colour.

An expression of mild alarm crossed the demon's face before she quickly moved off to the side. The arrow passed mere inches from her head and Kagura followed its flight from the corner of her eye. She frowned. "He failed to mention you were dead." Her lip curled. "Slipped his mind, I daresay."

"Who the hell is 'he'?" Inuyasha had returned to his spot next to Kagome and was now holding Tetsusaiga in front of him. "Who sent you?"

Red eyes flickered over him. "None of your business, half-breed."

Inuyasha bristled. "I'll show you half breed, bitch." He charged her, Tetsusaiga in hand.

Kagome's eyes widened. "No! Inuyasha!"

The wind demon watched his progress calmly, a scornful smile on her face. "So, the half-breed wants to play?" She laughed again. "Let's see how you handle this!" Kagura waved her fan. "Fuujin no Mai!"

Grunting, the hanyou held his katana steady in front of his body, deflecting the blows as he ran. He raised the sword when she was in range and gave a powerful downstroke. "Take this!"

The demon avoided the blow and snorted. "Such a weak little boy, aren't you?"

Incensed, Inuyasha swung Tetsusaiga at the demon again and again, but each time, she evaded the blade's edge. "Stop running away and fucking fight me!"

With an almighty stroke, the katana finally connected with Kagura's body and she staggered a few steps backwards, a hand clasped over a deep cut in her right arm.

"You!" Eyes narrowing, the demon took the fan in her other and brought it down. "Ryuuja no Mai!"

This time, not blades of wind headed towards Inuyasha but funnels. Tornadoes spiralled dangerously closely to the hanyou, causing him to have to perform several maneuvers in order to avoid being swept up.

Kagome could do nothing but watch- her arrows would do nothing to calm the winds after all and her powers over nature were severely limited. "Inuyasha! Watch out! Behind you!"

He looked back, mid-leap in time to see Kagura aim another batch of blades at him. He twisted his body but couldn't find a way to avoid all of the blades. Some of them hit him dead on and he fell to the ground with several bleeding cuts. Then, wonder of wonders, one of the tornadoes headed directly towards him, picking the hanyou up and bringing him all the way up the funnel until he was spit out from top.

Inuyasha flew through the air before landing with a sickening thud onto his back.

A few pained filled passed. "Da-dammit." He struggled to stand and staggered. Finally up on his feet, Inuyasha had to use the aid of Tetsusaiga for him to stand steady. Roughly, he wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth.

Kagome rushed to his side, unable to touch him but concerned all the while. "How bad are the wounds?"

The man shook his head. "D-don't worry about me."

"Hanyou," the pair looked up. "don't get into things that are too big for you to handle." Kagura moved her gaze to Kagome. "You, girl. Hand over the Shikon no Tama…"

"Never." She glared at the demon. "You will never possess the jewel."

"I haven't finished yet," smirked the demon, "hand over the Shikon no Tama, or he dies." She pointed her folded fan to Inuyasha. "I may not be able to harm you, but I can kill him."

Kagome's eyes widened and she shot a slightly nervous look at the injured hanyou next to her. If Kagura did go for him, there would be little she could do- spiritual power or none. Sure, she had arrows, but only a limited number of them. But before she could answer, somebody else broke the silence.

"Keh!" Inuyasha attempted to portray his usual arrogance even though his body was screaming in pain, "Like you could beat me! Even if I am only half-demon, I could beat the shit outta you with my eyes closed!" He tried to stand up straight but only succeeded in making it feel as though he were tearing the cuts even larger.

"Inuyasha! Don't make things worse!" She almost reached out to try and help him but remembered that it would do no good.

Waving a hand carelessly at the girl, the hanyou lifted his katana with a grunt. "I can handle this."

"But your injuries-"

"They'll heal."

The wind demon was watching this with increasing amusement. "Hanyou, you should listen to your woman and give up while you can! As long as I get the Shikon no Tama, I'll leave you alone."

Kagome's eyes widened in surprise as a faint blush stained her cheeks. 'His woman?'

"Like shit, you will. I don't know what this 'Shikon no Tama' is or why you want it but you sure as hell aren't getting it." As an afterthought, he added, "And she's not my woman."

There was a pause in which Kagura stared at Inuyasha in astonishment before her mocking laughter rang out in the silent garden. "You don't know what it is? I would have thought that _you_ especially, would have found out as much as you could have!" She flicked the fan open. "But it really doesn't matter… when I'm through with you, you won't require anything anymore! Fuujin no Mai!"

Inuyasha jumped to the side to avoid the blades, but another surge of pain caused him to grit his teeth. "Dammit…"

Wave after wave of wind blades was sent towards the desperately evading hanyou with every flap of Kagura's fan. However, at this rate, he wouldn't be able to get into close enough range to hit her, let alone defeat her.

"Aren't you getting tired, hanyou?" The demon sent another attack flying towards him.

This time, the half-demon tiredly cut through the blades. 'I need to get closer…'

Kagura was unrelenting in her offence and was effectively keeping a quickly tiring Inuyasha a respectable distance from herself. Just when she thought she was about to win while the hanyou was leaning heavily on his katana, a shout brought her attention away from him.

"Kagura!" An arrow following the shout narrowly missed her torso, but the projectile didn't even scratch the demon. From a few feet away, Kagome's eyes widened in surprise and slight exasperation. 'I really have to practice some more…'

The sorceress glared at the miko and her control on the winds slackened briefly. "Was that supposed to hit me?"

A bit flustered, the girl called back, "It has been a while, you know!"

On her other side however, Inuyasha was panting and trying desperately to get his strength back. Closing his eyes, he tried to take several deep breaths like Miroku had once told him. His body ached and he was sure that several ribs were broken from that heavy fall.

However, suddenly, he noticed something different- something strange.

'What?'

Hoping that Kagome would think of some way to distract Kagura further, the hanyou took several deep breaths through his nose.

'I can smell something… weird.' It was almost indescribable. He plainly could sense Kagura's demonic energy but when it hit the wind currents, he could smell something almost… explosive, but not quite. It was like if only he had something to trigger that eruption, then something massive would happen. 'Why didn't I smell it before? A scar in the wind…'

Opening his eyes, Inuyasha looked at Tetsusaiga before his gaze flickered to the wind demon who was still being distracted by Kagome. 'It… It's worth a try…'

Raising his katana high into the air, the hanyou prayed to whatever Kami was out there and yelled, "Kagura!" He gave a heavy swing directly along the 'wind scar.' "Take THIS!"

The effect was immediate.

No sooner had the wind sorceress turned her head before her ruby red eyes widened in surprise. Several strong blades whipped across the ground, creating deep gouges before they connected with Kagura's body. She didn't even have time to scream as pain beyond pain wreaked her body. And indeed, if it hadn't been for one thing, she most certainly would have died.

"What the-" came Inuyasha's surprised shout.

A huge swarm of abnormal bees had suddenly flew in the garden from apparantly nowhere and surrounded the demoness even as the cutting wind attack had flown directly for her. While the bees had all been wiped out, her clothes all but destroyed, and her body half mangled, Kagura was left hanging on to within an inch of her life.

Quickly, she pulled one of the feathers out of her hair and to the surprise of Kagome and Inuyasha, it grew into a very large version of itself onto which the demon hurried. She turned her head to glare at the panting hanyou. "This isn't the last time." The feather slowly lifted into the air and Kagura shouted back, "I will be back for the jewel and your death." Then, she zoomed away over the garden wall, one dark thought echoing in her mind, 'He isn't going to be happy about this…'

Back on the ground inside the garden, one extremely surprised miko was standing with her mouth open and the hanyou who was in extreme pain was just lying there.

A few seconds passed in complete silence, but eventually, the insects and birds came from their hiding places and went about their lives. Kagome snapped out of her stupor and hurried over to Inuyasha who was lying on his back. Tetsusaiga had reverted back to its carrying state and had been stuck in the ground.

"Inuyasha!" She crouched near his head and stared into his face. "Are you okay?"

He glared at her dryly. "What do you think?"

She sighed. "Alright, take off your shirt."

"What?!" His eyes widened and he stared at her incredulously. "What do you plan to do?"

Kagome's cheeks reddened at what he was plainly thinking of and scowled. "Idiot. I'm going to clean your cuts!"

"And how are you going to do that if you can't touch me?"

Her expression darkened and the miko glared at Inuyasha. "Just because I can't directly touch you doesn't mean I don't have my methods of doing things." She stood up. "I'm going to get some water. When I get back, those clothes had better be off. She shot him a look that plainly said, 'Or else.'

She began walking towards the back of the garden.

Glaring at the retreating girl's back, the hanyou grumbled under his breath and gingerly sat up. "Take off your clothes!" He mimicked in a high pitched voice. "And she didn't even ask about my attack," he sulked. Breathing a deep sigh, Inuyasha delicately peeled off the blood stained T-shirt, wincing every now and then. Looking down, he discovered that several long, ugly gouges ran down the length of his chest and into his stomach.

No wonder it hurt like hell.

He chose to leave on the pants.

Slowly, he staggered closer to one of the trees with his teeth grit tightly together.

Just who had sent that Kagura woman?

Soon enough, the familiar presence of the miko spirit gradually came closer and Kagome entered the small clearing to find the hanyou sitting propped up against a tree. His arms were crossed over a well toned (she took notice with a blush) chest and his golden eyes were shut. He was muttering under his breath. As she got closer, she discovered them to be not-so-complimentary.

"_Who's_ a horomone driven yap-a-lot wench?"

Inuyasha gave a huge start in surprise and his eyes opened wide. "What? Oh… umm…" he sought for an answer, "See… it's one of my friends and…"

He gave up when the expression on the girl's face clearly told him she didn't buy it.

Glowering darkly at the hanyou, Kagome slowly lowered two large pieces of deeply curved bark, both containing water. They were clearly solid, and the hanyou had no idea how she was able to fill them with water, let alone carry the both of them from whatever source she used back to him.

Catching his curious glance, the miko answered the unvoiced question, "It's not entirely mind power as it is spiritual energy keeping the bark from falling." She gestured towards a large patch of leaves that had fallen when Inuyasha had dealt his attack. "Watch."

Staring hard at the pile, Kagome seemed to be concentrating on them and slowly, the entire heap lifted up and hovered several feet above the ground. She flicked her hand carelessly at them and they all scattered in an invisible wind.

The hanyou stared in interest. "Telekinesis?"

The girl looked curiously at the hanyou. "Telekinesis? What's that?" With a gesture with her right hand, Inuyasha's shirt rose off the ground and came so close to her hand that it almost appeared as though she were holding it. Kagome dipped part of the cloth into the water and began to gently clean his chest.

"It's like moving stuff with your mind, I guess."

She smiled distractedly. "A little like that, I suppose. But not entirely. After all, it's not fun being trapped somewhere for all eternity, and it would be even worse if I didn't have at least a few powers." He couldn't help but wince as she pressed into a delicate area. "Sorry," whispered the girl.

Inuyasha closed his eyes. "So, do you know who that woman was?"

"She said her name was Kagura."

He sighed. "I know that. Did you know her, you know… in the past?"

The miko shook her head negative. "No. I've never heard of her even though I have encountered many demons."

"I could have sworn I smelled her scent before…" he muttered, more to himself than anything.

"Perhaps. But did you see what was on her back?" Kagome dipped the shirt in the water again.

He glanced at her in intrigue. "On her back?"

"When she flew away. Her yukata was torn, and you could see her back."

"Well… no. I was in pain, wasn't I?"

Kagome sighed. "She had a large spider mark on her skin."

Inuyasha paused to think about this revelation as the girl ran the cloth gently along his cuts. A spider mark? Maybe it was a tattoo?

Soon, Kagome was finished with washing his chest and was concerned about having nothing to bind the wounds with. She searched around but there was nothing suitable.

"Don't worry. They'll heal eventually. I'm more worried about the broken bones."

"But what if they get infected?"

"Keh. I'm a hanyou. See? They're already staring to close."

And indeed, the skin was slowly re-growing and the cuts were slowly shrinking, the healing process having been aided by the clean water.

The girl sighed. "That's one good thing about having demon heritage." She picked up the T-shirt and rung out the red-stained water before dipping it into the other container of water. "Alright. Take those 'pants' off."

Inuyasha immediately turned red. "Wh-what?!"

Her face was faring no better as she felt it burn in embaressment. "I have to clean those too!"

The hanyou waved his healed arms awkwardly. "No… Don't worry about it. My legs'll heal." To prove the fact, he smacked one and only barely kept the wince in. "See?" he asked, gritting his teeth, "Just… fine!"

Kagome stared at him sceptically but gave in with a sigh. "All right." She sat down next to Inuyasha, appearing to be leaning against the tree. There were a few seconds of silence before she asked a question that had been bothering her. "What did you do to Kagura?"

The hanyou shrugged. "I don't really know. I just realised that where Kagura's demonic energy met the wind, it created sort of a gap in it that smelled a little funny. I cut across the gap with Tetsusaiga and well, that happened." He paused to glance up into the branches of the tree. "I don't know why I didn't see it before…"

"Well, whatever it is, it was powerful."

"Mmn." Inuyasha stared off into the distance without seeing. Who else would know about Tetsusaiga's properties? There was the old man, but he doubted that _that_ geezer knew anything more than what he had told him. His mother and father were dead. Miroku? It was highly doubtful. Sango might have some idea, but the most obvious person was somebody he really didn't want to talk to…

The girl glanced at him curiously before she asked him tentatively, "Don't you have a question for me?"

Gold glanced into blue "About what?"

Kagome played with her bow. "About what Kagura said."

Inuyasha blinked at her and arched an eyebrow.

"Never mind," she sighed.

A few seconds passed by in which the half-demon tried to pick out what Kagome was talking about. Then, it finally dawned on him. "Oh! You mean the Shikon no Tama thing!"

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Yes."

He shrugged. "You'll tell me eventually." She stared at him. "If I ask you right now, would you feel comfortable, telling it to a hanyou?"

Kagome smiled at him, "I think I can trust you, but you have to swear that you won't tell anybody about the Shikon no Tama. If you did, then this garden wouldn't be so peaceful."

"You call what just happened peaceful?" he gestured towards the various new marks on the garden floor.

She clucked her tongue. "There'll be more than just her if you tell others."

The hanyou scratched his head. "What if that person could help us?"

"Is that person somebody you trust?"

Inuyasha thought about it hard and long before answering, "Yes… And he wants to meet you too."

"Who is it?"

He thought about what he should tell her before answering slowly, "A monk. But not a very virtuous one…"

Kagome frowned. "Not a virtuous monk?"

"He can be a little… lecherous. And he might bring one of our friends."

"And that friend is?"

"Her ancestors used to be demon exterminators…" He failed to mention that the friend was going out with the monk.

The girl nodded before sitting up. "I'll tell it to you first… it gets a little tiresome, having a secret you can't tell anybody for five hundred years." She laughed without humour. "It's a long tale," she warned.

"I've gotta heal before I do anything else anyway."

Kagome smiled briefly before closing her eyes and sucking in a deep breath.

"The story begins a long time ago… from over five hundred years past…"

* * *

Review Responses:

-- Eloraya

Was it one of the hell wasps? Perhaps. ::evil grin:: Houjo scared you? He should have. Not so innocent now, is he?

-- Kill-all-Flamers-210

This chapter answer your question?

-- FieryDemonFox

Summer School? Your school lets out earlier than mine… Houjo working for Naraku- you'll find out in the future, as for the bee- I'm not saying anything.

-- Izayoi

The plot? Well… it should go somewhere. Everything should be significant, even if it looks like things aren't adding up. And evil Houjo? Eh heh…

**Many thanks to:** (Eh? My later review responses won't show up... gomen)

astro-24   
snowecat (In Italy, lots of stuff, and right now, piano and theory are taking up my time)  
Lily Among the Thorns-89 (Number 100!)  
CJ-chan   
Ryngrl5  
darkscorpio28  
Poison Death Tree  
hanyou-elf  
Flaming-Rosetta-Stone  
WhiteDloud  
Sarcasm Girl8  
brezzy610  
Dark-Magician-41 (Mat… is floating in orbit… interesting…)

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Translations:

Fuujin no Mai – Dance of the Wind Blades

Ryuuja no Mai – Dance of the Dragon Snakes

Katana – a sort of sword

Yukata – sort of a summer kimono

Shikon no Tama – Jewel of Four Souls

* * *

[Gomen Nasai!

Another REALLY long delay, eh? . I can explain, but do you really want to listen? (I didn't think so). I really hope that the next update won't take too long to be typed up- and it shouldn't (no promises though).

Inuyasha found out about the wind scar sooner than I expected, and Kagura just couldn't wait to make her debut… Oh well. Also, Kagome's story is coming out a bit early, but what can I say? She just can't keep a secret! -.-;; I didn't particularly like the action description in this chapter, but I needed it for the story to work- wasn't horribly bad, I guess...

Thanks to everybody who reviewed my story- it broke 100! I'm happy! =D Now, there's another milestone to reach…

…hint hint … nudge nudge …

Till next time….

Ja!]


	9. Guardians of the Jewel

Disclaimer: Non, je ne posséde pas Inuyasha… (that's five year's worth of French classes, people…)

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

.

--Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

{Kagome smiled briefly before closing her eyes and sucking in a deep breath.

"The story begins a long time ago… from over five hundred years past…"}

.

****

Chapter NINE:

Guardians of the Jewel

.

"Kikyou-onee-sama!" A little girl wearing an orange yukata tore through an empty path in a small village. "Kikyou-onee-sama! They're here!" She appeared to be no more than seven years of age and was running as quickly as she could, a delighted expression on her face. "Kikyou-onee-sama!"

As the little girl exited the shelter of the huts, another girl who appeared to be fourteen glanced at the running child from her spot in the planting fields. "Kaede-chan! What's wrong?" She had bright sea-blue eyes and was wearing a simple yukata of the same colour. It was rolled up to prevent it from getting wet from the fields.

Several others of the villagers stared at the running girl and mutters broke out among them.

"Youkai?"

"Is it an attack?"

"Where's Kikyou-sama?"

Kaede skidded to a stop, grinning at the girl. "Kagome-chan! The people from the exterminator's village are here!"

"Already? Didn't the messenger come only a few days ago?"

She nodded, "I think it was really important to give the jewel to Kikyou-onee-sama." She cocked her head to the side. "Do you know where she is?"

Kagome smiled and pointed towards a shrine located just in front of a forest located on the other side of the field from the village. "I think she's in the shrine, Kaede-chan."

"Right!" Waving at the girl, Kaede took off for the small building.

Just as she reached the entrance of the shrine, another girl stepped out of it, closing the door carefully behind her. She was clearly an older child, appearing to be seventeen years of age. Her long hair was pulled back, away from her face but two stubborn locks fell upon ether shoulder. She wore the garb of a shrine maiden, that is to say, a miko, with a pair of red hakama and a white top.

As soon as she saw the out-of-breath girl, concern flashed in her grey eyes. "What's happened, Kaede?"

"They're here… the people who have the-"

"Shikon no Tama…" whispered Kikyou. She stood up straight, slinging a long bow over her shoulder. "Well then, let's go meet them. Where's Omake-baa-san?"

At the mention of the village elder, Kaede grinned again. "I was helping her grind herbs when they came. Omake-baa-chan's already out to greet them. She told me to fetch you."

Kikyou nodded, smiling warmly at her sister and began walking back towards the village. "Let's go then, Kaede."

Her gait was smooth and unhurried- a dignified stroll along the narrow dirt pathway. The younger one skipped around the sister she idolised, occasionally hurrying to be in front, other times, attempting to mimic her sister. As they passed the planting fields, the villagers stopped what they were doing and bowed respectively.

"Kikyou-sama."

She was used to this treatment and no longer attempted to stop them. It had started when she had first been declared the village miko on her fifteenth birthday, and after two years, one became accustomed to it. However, as she neared the village, the girl who Kaede had stopped to talk to jumped from the fields.

"Kikyou-chan!" She smiled at the elder girl. "Congratulations!"

The other returned it just barely. "There's nothing to congratulate just yet, Kagome. But thank you."

Kaede butted in, "Would you like to come with us? I'm sure Omake-baa-chan won't mind."

Kagome looked questioningly at the elder sister.

"All right. Come with us. You're like a second sister to us in any case."

With that, the blue-eyed girl unrolled her yukata and the trio resumed walking towards the village. The young one and Kagome kept up a lively chatter while the eldest simply listened with upturned lips. Her eyes remained trained on the upcoming houses. As they passed the uncovered doorway, curious children and villagers peeked out of their houses.

Though it wasn't uncommon for the three girls to be seen together, they had heard of the news of a dangerous relic being entrusted to the care of their miko. Naturally, it had been supposed to be kept a secret, but one so important as this hadn't been concealed for long.

An old man had heard the words of a messenger who had ridden to the village only two days beforehand, and he passed it on to his wife. She told it to her best friend and she to her husband. Their children heard and passed it on to the other children, and so the chain continued until everybody knew about the Shikon no Tama.

The Jewel of Four Souls.

A dangerous item of great power.

It was rumoured that it contained the souls of hundreds of demons and one pure-hearted warrior. It was said that within the pink orb, a battle of good verses evil was forever being fought. When one of a pure soul and heart possessed the jewel, the battle was tipped in favour of good and the jewel was purified. However, when one who was evil hearted held it, the jewel became corrupt.

It was said that the jewel was able to grant any wish to any one. It increased the powers of demons and gave humans supernatural abilities. It was said that life could be granted to the dead with but a fragment of the Shikon no Tama.

The jewel was a powerful thing, and with that great power came those who wished to posses it; to besmirch it; to bend its power for their own evil intentions.

And so that was why the exterminator's village- quite aptly named -, who had held the jewel for years; who had guarded it since it was born, had decided to send the jewel to somebody who would be able to protect it and to keep the spiritual balance in check.

Kikyou's expression hardened as she recalled what the messenger had said. This would be a great responsibility, protecting the Shikon no Tama. It would be no small task, keeping dangerous demons as well has humans away from the jewel and the village. It was very possible that the demons had already sensed the jewel approaching the small village and were, even at this moment, plotting to steal it.

Although the official guardian had yet to be named, it was plain that everybody expected for it to be Kikyou- after all, who was more suited for the job?

She was the best archer out of all the villager girls.

She was the most knowledgeable in healing techniques.

She was almost certainly the wisest.

She had been appointed the village miko by the previous priestess herself!

Taking up this responsibility would mean much self-sacrifice, but she would make them, if for the sake of the villagers and most especially, the two girls who walked at her sides.

"Kikyou-onee-sama, look!"

Kikyou was snapped out of her thoughts by Kaede's sudden shout. She hadn't become aware of the fact that the two girls had stopped talking. The grey-eyed girl glanced in the direction where Kaede was pointing.

They had walked straight through the village and were now at the edge of it, near to Omake-baa-san's hut. Tethered to the wooden posts near the hut were several foreign horses- three in total.

"They must already be in Omake-baa-chan's hut," whispered Kagome.

Unbeknownst to them, several of the villagers had silently been following the trio in curiosity and were now pointing to the hut and whispering amongst themselves.

"There they are…"

"I wonder if the jewel's in there…"

"I'm sure Kikyou-sama will be able to take care of it…"

Nodding to the younger girl, Kikyou set her shoulders and walked to the entrance of the hut, pushing aside the mat blocking the doorway. Suddenly calm, the two younger girls began to follow but the miko stopped and turned around, bending down.

"You two should stay here for now. I promise I'll come out as soon as I can." And with that, she offered a kind smile to the pouting girls and silently entered the hut.

"Mou, I wish we could go in," grumbled Kaede as she and Kagome took to sitting on either side of the doorway.

The other girl sighed, "I agree, but they did call Kikyou and not us. We don't want to make a bad impression, do we?"

The two fell silent, each wondering what could be going on and formulating their own versions, while inside the hut, Kikyou was being studied by the four comers from the distant village. There was one old, withered woman, two stronger men and a young woman who had probably been sent to protect the jewel along its journey. Omake-baa-san, a kind looking old woman sat across from the strangers on the wooded floor.

A strange cat sat on one side of the younger girl- it was certainly a demon, and Kikyou could not imagine what it was doing with demon exterminators.

"You are Kikyou?" questioned the older woman.

She bowed. "Yes."

"Please, sit."

The woman complied, kneeling carefully on the spare mat next to their village elder. She glanced around at the others and found all four sets of their eyes to be trained on her, studying her.

"You have a younger sister, do you not?"

"Yes, her name is Kaede."

"Hm. And where are your parents?"

The miko was careful to keep emotionless. It was a sign of an experienced fighter, after all. "They're both dead. My mother died in giving birth to Kaede and my father from a demon attack five years ago."

There was a short silence. The younger ones appeared to be waiting for their elder to speak, but when she gave no indication of saying anything, one of the men began to talk.

"The journey here could have been perilous had any more demons known that the jewel was being moved to a new home." His hand moved to grip the sword which was attached to his waist. "We encountered many youkai. Are you sure you are able to handle the defensive measures needed to protect the Shikon no Tama?"

"I am." Kikyou kept her answer simple. She avoided looking at the old woman, who was staring at her with such an intensity, it was as if she were examining her soul.

"It will also be needed to protect the village itself from demon attacks. Just because they are looking for one thing, does not mean that the demons will politely ask for it. They _will_ destroy all that they can to reach the jewel," the man cautioned, "Are you sure you're prepared for the challenge?"

Kikyou opened her mouth to speak, but Omake beat her to answering, "We are very proud of our Kikyou, Ori-san. The villagers and I have complete faith in her ability to protect the village."

The second mad spoke up. "There should be a place prepared for the jewel in which it will reside…"

"I have prepared it," responded the girl.

Ori questioned of the miko, "Do you know how the Jewel of Four Souls was created?"

She shook her head negative.

"It was a long time ago- decades in the past. It was in a time before our village had been established and when there was still a strong government in Japan. When the order began to fail, many people died and their rotting corpses attracted swarms of demons." He closed his eyes as if visualising the story. "The demon populations increased drastically, despite the efforts of many people. One such person was a powerful Miko named Midoriko."

The other man took up the story. "She had immense spiritual powers and could purify ten demons at once. Naturally, this enraged the demons and they soon targeted her, trying to kill her. Each attempt was unsuccessful and so they decided that they needed to join together to form one evil entity."

Ori continued, "However, to do that, they needed a vessel in which to unite. They searched and searched, and at last, fell upon a mortal man. They sought out his weaknesses and found that he loved Midoriko though she did not return it. He had an evil heart, and so the youkai possessed him, taking over his body and merging. With this new power, the demons sought out Midoriko and thus started a battle that would continue for seven days and seven nights." He stopped speaking

Kikyou listened raptly, her eyes narrowed onto whichever man was speaking.

The other took on the story, "At first, there was no clear advantage but the battle, as large as it was, soon drew in more demons and the miko was overpowered. At long last, her body was broken and she was eaten by the demons. However, gathering the little strength that remained, Midoriko took hold of the demonic souls with her power, thus drawing in her own soul.

"The souls formed a concentrated entity and were forced out of her body as…"

"The Shikon no Tama," finished Kikyou for the man. "I had heard of such a rumour before. The battle continues within the jewel between the demon souls and the soul of the miko."

"Yes. So, you understand that this is a great risk for you to undertake? If you are unable to purify the jewel, then it will become unclean and attract many more demons."

"I understand. I am prepared."

There was a short silence before the soft voice of the girl entered the air. "I believe that all that remains is giving Kikyou-sama the jewel."

In her hands, she carried a medium sized box which looked ordinary enough. It had been carved in wood and small designs had been traced onto its lid. However, as normal as it seemed, Kikyou could sense the power it concealed and she felt almost afraid despite herself. Instead of focusing on the box, she raised her gaze to look behind the girl and found herself gazing at a large boomerang that seemed almost ridiculous in its size.

"It's name is Hiraikotsu." The girl had caught her gaze. "A family heirloom and a formidable weapon."

Kikyou nodded.

Ori cleared his throat and glanced at the exterminator girl, "If you will then, Kanshou." He gestured towards the box.

Her hands lifted as she began to present the box to Kikyou, but even as the miko's hands reached out to receive it, a withered voice broke the silence, "Stop."

All five people glanced at the old woman and Kanshou slowly drew her arms back so that the box returned to her lap. Kikyou let her arms fall, feeling a slight twinge of apprehension.

"You, Kikyou, are not the one to hold the jewel."

Her sudden revelation had the same effect as a heavy weight being dropped onto the miko's spirits. For this great honour to have been taken away from her was a massive blow to the girl's pride. However, for risk of sounding disrespectful, she kept her silence.

"Why not, Akuba-sama?" Instead, it was Omake who asked the question that was bothering Kikyou and the other exterminators. "Does she not fulfil the requirements?"

"She would indeed have been able to protect the jewel, but I have determined that she is not perfectly… suitable." Akuba's solemn gaze stayed on Kikyou's face, which she maintained to be perfectly stoic. "She is the model shrine maiden, but for this purpose…"

Kikyou bowed her head, feeling, for the first time in years, tears of disappointment gathering at the corners of her eyes. She blinked rapidly behind her long bangs. She would not cry. "I understand, Akuba-sama. I respect your decision." She felt her village elder's hand resting gently on her shoulder, offering her silent support.

"Hm." The old woman rose and the three exterminators followed suit. The other two native to the village also got up to send off the travellers. "We shall be leaving to search for another willing to take on the task. Thank you, Omake-sama and Kikyou-san for receiving us."

Omake hurried ahead of them to lift aside the mat. The miko awaited for the visitors to leave ahead of her, but Akuba gave her a withered smile and gestured for her to be first. As soon as she had left the shelter of the hut, two voices bombarded her with questions.

"How'd it go, Kikyou-chan?"

"Do you have the jewel?"

"Were you scared?"

"Did you meet the people?"

"Is it as powerful as they say?"

"Is-"

"I wasn't well suited for protecting the jewel." Kikyou intercepted Kaede's question. "The people from the exterminator's village are leaving with the jewel." Her voice was loud enough so that it carried around the large crowd of the gathered villagers. Mutterings and whispers broke out at once.

The miko kept her disgruntled expression at bay- Akuba-sama hadn't even given a reason _why_ she couldn't be the guardian of the jewel.

The two younger girls became suddenly silent and gazed at the young woman. Kaede looked disappointed for her sister and sad, but Kagome's gaze held something that Kikyou did not want from her- pity.

"You'll still be out best miko, Kikyou-chan," voiced the blue-eyed girl softly.

She nodded stiffly and turned around to see as the visitors to village only just walk out of the hut. One by one, they nodded at Kikyou, but when Akuba-sama walked out, second to last, she began to nod, only to freeze. Her eyes grew wide, and the miko became alarmed.

"Akuba-sama? What's wrong?"

Kikyou followed her gaze to see that the old woman was staring at something- or rather, somebody standing next to her…

Kagome.

"You…" Her cracked voice pierced the sudden silence. "You, girl. Come here."

The fourteen-year old child started, and looked at Kikyou with wide eyes, who inclined her head only a fraction of an inch, curious about what was going on. A barely perceptible line appeared on her forehead.

Kagome started hesitatingly for the old woman and bowed shortly before her. "Hello."

"What is your name?" the woman asked in a voice that was bordering on kind.

She bit her lip nervously. "Ka-Kagome."

"You're not from this village, are you?"

The girl's eyes widened before she answered slowly, "I live here."

"But you were not born here."

Kagome shook her head. "No." Her eyes were downcast. "My old village was destroyed five years ago by a hoard of youkai. My parents died trying to save me and my brother."

"And your brother? Where is he?"

"He… he was killed by a serpent demon."

Some sympathetic murmurings passed among the crowd before it grew silent again. Kikyou's frown had hardened and her hand reached up to grip her bow. She remembered seeing a bloodied and crying nine-year old girl stumbling towards their village on that day. Kikyou herself had only been twelve, but it was on that day that she had decided to become a protector of her village so the same fate would not befall it.

Kagome too, could remember the event vividly. Fire sprung up among the houses as dozens of demons raided through the, picking off the children first. Kagome had survived only because her father had distracted the demons while she ran. Sometimes, she still dreamed about her friends' screams and pleas for help…

"And yet, with such a horrible past, your soul remains remarkably pure…" murmured the old woman. "You heart is good."

"Pardon?"

Sparing a small smile at the girl, Akuba raised her head and beckoned the exterminator girl over. "Kanshou. The jewel, please."

At that, a wave of mutters passed around crowd before it grew silent. Kikyou's eyes had widened in disbelief and Kaede stared at her friend in shock. The two men from the other village exchanged curious glances and Kanshou studied the young girl silently as she brought forth the small box. She offered it to her village elder.

Taking it, the old woman held it out to Kagome. "What do you see, child?"

Kagome blinked at it. "It's a wooden box… with carvings on the top." She traced along the lines without touching the box. "It says 'Shi-kon'."

"But beyond the box. Study it, Kagome. What do you see?"

She squinted. "There's something like a ball in there. It's glowing, and it feels very… powerful… and warm."

Kikyou frowned, as did the rest of the surrounding people. What was the girl talking about? Nothing was glowing!

"Excellent…" whispered Akuba. She tipped open the lid on the box, revealing a darkly glowing jewel. Several gasps circulated the crowd. "Kagome, take hold of the jewel."

The box was lined with a type of fabric and on top of a small cushion rested a fairly sized ball- larger than any seeds Kagome had ever used in planting. It was attached to a chain of shell-like objects. Oh, but the jewel was so beautiful that some of the villagers felt a strange yearning to touch the jewel, even if it were for a second. It was as if the Shikon no Tama was calling each and every one of them.

But everybody stood their ground.

Frightened, the young girl turned to look at Kikyou, whose gaze at her was unsettling, to say the least. A subtle frown decorated her expression, and she was looking at Kagome as though she had never seen the girl before. But then, catching her unsure gaze, the miko nodded, her eyes closing.

Everything was dead silent as one of the girl's trembling hands reached out to touch the darkly coloured orb. Akuba watched her progress carefully. Softly, just barely, one of the tips of Kagome's fingers brushed the surface of the jewel and with a suddenness that startled the girl, the jewel suddenly became a bright, innocent pink. Her hand jumped back in surprise.

The silence was absolute before the old woman breathed, "Very good. Incredible." When the girl made no move to take the jewel, she encouraged her, "Go on, Kagome. Pick it up."

Nodding, she brought out both hands this time and slowly cupped them around the jewel, lifting it out of the box. The Shikon no Tama gave a faint pulse in her hands, almost as if it were happy. But Kagome frowned. Jewels couldn't be _happy,_ could they?

"Excellent." The old woman shut the box with a click. "Kagome, you are the one to guard the jewel." Her voice had become strong and loud once more. "Your pure soul is just the thing needed to keep the jewel from becoming corrupt."

At these words, the girl's mouth dropped open and she stared at Akuba. "Bu-but… me? Kikyou-chan…"

"Kikyou is a noble woman, but…" she raised her gaze to the woman, who rearranged her face so that it showed no emotion. "But… she is not suited for the task." Akuba nodded her approval of Kagome but kept her gaze steadied on Kikyou. "You should be trained to defend yourself and the village. With the jewel taking residence here, it will be extremely dangerous for you."

The miko, watching the old woman's unwavering gaze, nodded only briefly to show that she understood her words.

She would train Kagome in the lifestyle of a miko.

Giving a sudden heavy sigh, Akuba turned and looked at the village elder. "Omake-san, thank you again for taking us in. This is a great risk for your village."

Still shaken by the news that Kagome would be guarding the jewel, the elder nodded jerkily. "It is an honour."

The old woman hobbled to her companions and with the assistance of Ori, mounted one of the brown horses. Ori untied her horse for her. Each of the men climbed up on their mounts but the girl, Kanshou was left without one.

The villagers were wondering what she would do and whether or not her horse had run away when she called in a clear voice, "Kirara!"

From within the hut, a small two-tailed cat ran out and stopped at the foot of its mistress. With a soft mew, Kirara burst into sudden flames, causing several of the villagers to cry out in surprise.

"That cat! It's on fire!"

But then the fire went out and where there previously stood a small feline was now a large and fierce one. Its cry was no longer soft but a loud roar. Surrounding its paws were rings of fire and it kept the two tails along with the markings on its face.

"A demon-!"

Kanshou got up on her cat demon's back and patted Kirara's neck. Glancing at her fellow villagers, she nodded.

"Alright, then," Akuba spoke to the other three, "Let's go."

They took off in a sudden cloud of dust, but most surprising of all was the cat, which proved its ability to fly by taking several large leaps before soaring off into the sky. Shouts burst from the crowd as fingers pointed.

"What was a demon doing with her?"

However, while the crowd's attention was fixed on the figures in the distance, Kikyou and Kaede gazed at the girl in front of them. Kagome hadn't moved from her spot in front of the hut, and was staring at the jewel in her hands as though turned to stone. Slowly, the elder girl started towards her and Kaede, startling a little, followed hesitatingly.

"Kagome-chan?" the younger sister looked at her, concerned. "Are you all right?"

She turned around, palms outstretched towards Kikyou as if asking her confirmation that what had happened was real. The miko reached out with a steady hand, almost as if to touch the Shikon no Tama but at the last second, snatched it back.

"Congratulations," she echoed Kagome's words from before, "You've been declared the guardian of the Shikon no Tama." Kikyou kept the surprise and disappointment out of her words, but Kagome could see it in her eyes.

"Kikyou-chan… Maybe we could… protect it… together?" she suggested timidly.

At those words, the miko blinked and gazed in surprised at the girl. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you're much more experienced than I am at these sort of things." She pulled a face. "I can't even shoot an arrow straight. Maybe we can both be guardians!" She smiled hopefully at the miko. "Please?"

Kikyou's stony expression melted away and she smiled a little at the girl. "Sure, Kagome. I'll help you."

"What about me?" protested Kaede, "I want to help too!"

Hands closing over the jewel, Kagome grinned at the seven-year-old girl. "That's a great idea! We'll all protect the Shikon no Tama together!"

"Yeah!"

As if in response to Kagome's happiness, the jewel in her hand glowed momentarily a bright pink but it went unnoticed by everybody except for Kikyou.

She stared at Kagome's closed hand and smiled sadly. 'The jewel will be protected by all three of us, but it was Kagome who was Chosen. Not I.'

The blue-eyed girl, leading her younger friend towards the shrine house, didn't notice Kikyou's almost wistful gaze following her. The elder sister shook her head and sighed, walking forward to join the young ones.

* * *

Kagome snapped out of daydreaming and glanced up into the trees.

"Kikyou taught the both of us how to use the bow and arrow properly and soon, I could actually hit what I was aiming for. Kaede-chan mastered it more quickly than I did." By now, Kagome was feeling distinctly nostalgic about her childhood.

She had spent the last hour and some few minutes telling the hanyou beside her about how she had come to possess the jewel, and now it was mid-noon. She could almost picture the events in her mind as though they had happened only yesterday. She could see Kaede's youthful energy and Kikyou's reserved personality.

"Just as the people from the exterminator's village had said, our village soon became the central target for hundreds of demons…" The spirit sighed and looked towards Inuyasha, tired of talking. "Inuyasha?" She frowned. "Inuyasha!"

The half-demon was asleep! The nerve of him!

"Inuyasha!" She shouted into his ear, "Wake up!"

The ear flicked.

There was no response.

The miko frowned and using her powers, lifted the large container of clean water so that it hovered over the sleeping man's face. Slowly, she got up and moved behind the tree, carefully keeping the piece of bark over his head. With a shadow of a smirk and a flick of her wrist, she flipped it upside down.

Needless to say, he woke up with a start.

"What the fucking hell, Miroku?!"

Inuyasha suddenly bolted up from leaning against the tree and wiped his face, spluttering. Nearby, Kagome was having a hard time controlling her fit of giggles at the hanyou's reaction. After shaking his head irritably, he looked around, no doubt for Miroku so that he could do some serious injury.

He found himself in the garden.

"Huh…?" Then, memory returned, and Inuyasha glanced around again, this time in search for a certain red and white clothed girl… "Eh… Kagome?" Water droplets dripped from his head to his clothes. "Kaagooomee?" She was nowhere to be found.

He looked up- and found a certain piece of rounded bark hovering above his face. The hanyou stared at it, perplexed. His mind couldn't process why something was floating with no visible means of support. "What-" Just at that moment, the wood lost whatever was keeping it in the air and crashed down on Inuyasha's upturned face. "-the hell?"

Taking the wood off his face, the hanyou tossed it away. He pieced together the facts and alighted on an explanation. "Kagome!"

He couldn't see her, but his nose twitched, detecting a familiar smell just around the tree. A slow smirk crossing his face, Inuyasha began to turn around. "I wonder where she could be…" he mock called.

Doggy ears heard a soft giggle.

With a sudden burst of speed, he whipped around the trunk to find-

Nothing.

"Huh?" He'd been so sure she was here, in fact, her scent was still fresh. And if his nose was right (it was never wrong, after all), then the spirit should be… above him…

Inuyasha looked up.

"How-?"

There she was, hovering several feet above the ground and grinning impishly at the hanyou below. After a few more minutes of floating, the miko slowly brought herself down to face the open-mouthed Inuyasha.

"Remember those laws you told me about? Like gravity and such?"

He nodded his head dumbly.

"Well, I don't have to follow them." Demonstrating the fact, Kagome hopped into the air- and stayed there. She approached the tree and floated right into it, laughing. "You don't know how strange it is to be _inside_ a tree!" Her voice was even more echoed that usual. She reappeared in front of Inuyasha. "Hello? Are you still in there?" She floated in front of him, squinting into his golden eyes. "Inuyasha?"

She grew concerned when there was still no response. "Are you all right? Inuyasha?" The miko waved a hand slowly in front of his face, "That piece of wood didn't knock you out, did it?"

His face twitched.

Before Kagome had a chance to react, the hanyou had suddenly struck out with his arms towards the spirit. Badly startled, she shrieked loudly and fell right out of the air… and through the ground.

He was surprised at the sudden disappearance, but then as a highly disgruntled spirit slowly emerged from the ground, an eyebrow ticking dangerously, he couldn't keep it in anymore.

The half-demon burst out laughing and leaned against the tree for support. "You… should… have seen… the look… on your face!" he said between breaths.

Eyes screwed up in laughter, Inuyasha couldn't have seen what Kagome was doing, but when he heard a loud rustle, golden eyes opened curiously- then widened in shock.

"Err… Kagome?" The girl's arms were raised and hovering high above her, it appeared that all the leaves that had ever fallen in the garden had collected into one large pile. "You- you're not going to… throw that, are you?"

"Oh…" A dangerous gleam was in her eye. "I wouldn't dream of it." Her voice was laced with a sarcasm that Inuyasha had never heard her use.

"Wench…err... Kagome I- I'm wet! C-come on…" He nervously started backing away from the monumental pile. "Please?" he squeaked as the pile moved to hover just above his drenched head.

She dropped it.

"Whoops," the miko dropped to ground level and 'stood' on the ground. "My mistake. I just lost my hold." She began traipsing away. "Next time you ask me to tell you a story, Inuyasha. Listen." Kagome disappeared into the forest.

A scowling hanyou dug his way out of the pile and emerged, several new decorations in his hair. It appeared that with the leaves had also been dirt and various insects as well. Picking off a centipede, Inuyasha irritably brushed off his head as well as he could but the water made it hard to get rid of the dirt.

"Dammit… I hate washing this stuff…" He fingered a lock of silver hair, sighing. Golden eyes looked back to try and catch a glimpse of the miko but it appeared that she had already left.

Leaping out of the pile of leaves and various forest critters, he shook himself out, rather like a dog and began walking for the entrance, picking up his bloodied shirt on the way. As he passed the damage his and Kagura's fight had done on the grass floor, Inuyasha frowned and bent down. They were already beginning to close up much in the manner his cuts had already healed. It seemed as though the plants here possessed enhanced powers as well.

Near the entrance, he turned around. "I'll be back!" He called in a half threatening voice before stepping out of the open doors and closing them.

It was only when he had reached the house and was near halfway through a large bowl of ramen before Inuyasha remembered something.

"Shit! My shoes!"

He very near choked on a noodle.

* * *

Review Responses:

-- hanyou-elf

… I'm not saying anything. Actually, I will say this: Are you a mind reader or something? But, the story might go any way. It depends on my mood… XD

-- Sarah the original

Oh, don't worry… there shoud be more fights… Just remember that Kagome was raised to be respectful to others with her miko training. But once her real self comes out... there should be more arguments… (I just repeated myself, didn't I?)

-- yoshikurobladedancer

Oh no, don't worry- you don't sound gay at all, and I'm glad you like this story. You like solving mysteries? Well, that's good. I hope you keep on sticking by this...!

-- Danny

As for the Kag/Inu/Kik thing, that was for the reader's pure opinion, but dont worry- it's Inu/Kag all the way. Your idea was terrific, and if I can find a way to incorperate it, I will, but right now, I'm focusing more on Kagome and not Inuyasha in the sense of the central romantic figure.

-- Dark-Magician-41

They'll get together eventually. There's still that whole 'she's dead' thing right now. And now Mat's in the Sahara Desert... traveller's miles, no?

-- Mental Monky

O boy. This was a long one... Okay. My opinion on Kagura is purely neutral, as it is for Houjo. I don't hate either of them but I don't particularly like them (I do pity the both though). Is Houjo being possessed by Naraku? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe he's just evil. The chapter was _short_? Whoa. 5000 words wouldn't be what I'd consider to be short, but for it seeming to fly by, is that a good thing? Inu is a stubborn puppy, isn't he? -.-;;

-- sarahlovesDBZ

How will Kagome be revived? Well, that should be taken care of by the end of the story. Will she be reincarnated? Well, that would take an awful lot of time (her growing up and all), however, that would mean more torture for you readers out there... XD. Don't worry. It should work out (eventually).

-- Eloraya

They're all in character except for Houjo... how can I explain this? Well, I didn't want to create a new character as a sub-evil character, so I took somebody who is not... widely liked from the series. There's also that convenient little factor that the guy doesn't have much of a personality in the series (as he doesn't show up nearly as much). .

-- lady lilacks

Please refer to Eloraya's response in regards about to Houjo's personality (right up there...) -. And yes, it is kinda creepy, no?

-- inuphoria

Heh, yes. Chosen counterpart indeed. But it's not going to be that blown up... at least, I don' think it is...

.

Many thanks to:

Poison Death Tree

Sarcasm Girl8

bittersweet-memory

FieryDemonFox

Inuyashadabest

Izayoi (I'm glad too, but I wonder who wasn't...?)

OEC (Eh? Anything? I'm going to have to think about that...XD)

Flaming-Rosetta-Stone

AngelMiko289

darkscorpio28

Katami (I know, eh?)

Samieko (cliffy? I thought the chapter was getting a little long...)

sapphire pink

silver serpent eye

Note: If you want longer responses, or have additional questions not regarding this story, feel free to email me, and I'll respond through there!

* * *

Translations: I don't really 'like' using Japanese words in my story, but sometimes, the language just makes so much more sense than English... Repeated terms will not be translated again in later chapters.

Onee-sama - Big sister with a respective prefix and added suffix

Yukata - Summer kimono like clothing

Youkai - Demon, though not an accurate translation

-chan - suffix: endearment

Hakama - pants... though for some reason, I don't think the word 'pants' is able to do 'hakama' justice...

Shikon no Tama - Jewel of Four Souls

Baa-chan - grandmother

Miko - shrine maiden / Shinto priestess

Mou - a sort of noise of frustration, a little like 'grr', only not exactly...

* * *

[Eh. You may have gotten an author alert that a new chapter had been posted. (TEN)

Weeelll... Sorry about that.

I was realoading this one because I found a disgraceful amount of spelling errors, so I corrected (hopefully all of) them. Then, while in replacing the document, I accidently pressed 'create a chapter'

--;;

Yeah.]

Original AN:

[As for the people I made up, their names have no importance… I don't think… You might want to check out a translator to find out what each of them mean, and if I got the genders wrong... bah.

An information chapter, more than anything. Most of the information of the formation of the jewel was gathered from Chris Rijk's awesome translations of InuYasha.

And for the story, of course Kagome couldn't have known all that was described, but that format was better than just reading an entire page of monologue, no? Oh yes. And no, Kikyou is not evil in any way. Just imagine being in her situation: the best, probably the brightest was upstaged by a completely normal looking younger girl.

Till next time...

Ja!]


	10. The Monk Returns

Disclaimer: It's chapter ten. Figure it out.

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

.

--Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

{It was only when he had reached the house and was near halfway through a large bowl of ramen before Inuyasha remembered something.

"Shit! My shoes!"

He very near choked on a noodle.}

.

****

Chapter TEN:

The Monk Returns

.

The next two days passed without much incidence. Each morning, Inuyasha would wake up and trot along into the backyard after grabbing something from a kitchen to eat. Then, while in the garden, he and the girl would exchange details about each of their times until either they got bored or he had to go. It was usually one or the other.

Of course, the entire purpose had been for the hanyou to learn more about the spirit, but so far, she was only detailing the differences of their worlds themselves rather than telling of her own life. By now, Inuyasha had learned so much that he could have written a book- possibly the most accurate book on ancient Japan ever.

Slowly, Kagome was starting to break from the bonds of tradition and respect and was becoming more open. She smiled more often than three days ago and Inuyasha was lucky to witness her as the person she really was. Of course, that also meant he encountered her less than positive phases and her confident personality. With the two self-assured characters who more often than not, disagreed on an issue, it resulted in several heated debates.

Of course, by the time he had actually remembered to retrieve the forgotten shoes, Inuyasha had found out that the pair had been destroyed. One had been cut cleanly in half with the laces missing and nothing remained of the other than the rubber soles. Now, not only would he have to buy food, the half-demon would have to shop for a new pair of shoes as well.

And did he mention he hated shopping?

Of course, he did have one other pair of sneakers, but honestly, those shoes cost him money, damn it!

Tetsusaiga had found permanent residence on his hip just in case of any other unpredicted attacks.

So far, there had been none.

It had remained almost disturbingly calm around the place ever since that assault from Kagura. There had been nothing- no abnormal bees, no visits from weird people; just a calm that permeated through the entire estate.

But while before, that quiet had soothed Inuyasha's nerves, now, it had him experiencing a level of stress not unlike the kind one feels just before writing an exam. He didn't deal particularly well with suspense, as demonstrated by his latest visit.

"Damn it! Why hasn't anything happened yet?" The hanyou paced back and forth in front of the tall Goshinboku tree. "She said she'd be back… has she chickened out?"

A slightly aggravated looking spirit 'sat' at the roots of the tall tree, staring at the man's progress. "Inuyasha, stop pacing. You're making me nervous!" It was said in an exasperated way that suggested that Kagome had voiced it before. "I'm sure that Kagura's just recovering from that attack you hit her with last time. Don't worry."

"That's easy for you to say." Amber eyes glanced at the girl. "You don't have to worry about what's going to happen if your home's destroyed."

Kagome glared at him dryly. "Oh no? If this garden ceases to exist, I'll probably go with it."

That stopped him.

"Wh-what?" Inuyasha shot her a bewildered look. "Why would that happen?"

The miko gracefully crossed her arms and casually levitated herself a few feet off the ground- she still loved that startled expression on his face when she did that. "Well, from what Kikyou-chan told me, a spirit can only have a form in this world if their physical remains are somewhere nearby. There's some sort of link between the soul and the body." Kagome scrunched her nose. "I didn't really listen to that part. When she was telling us about that, I was busy picking flowers." She laughed dryly.

"So… if your remains are destroyed, what happens?"

She shrugged. "My soul gets dragged to the depths of the hells for eternal suffering."

That was said in such a casual demeanour that Inuyasha could only gape at her for a few minutes. "What the hell? And you're not worried about that at all?"

Kagome raised an eyebrow at him. "Of course I'm worried, idiot. But I find it easier to deal with my troubles as they pass by and not worry about them." She made a face. "I hate feeling stressed."

"Keh." He plopped down onto the grass-covered ground. "So where is your body?"

She surveyed him with a slightly resigned look before giving in. "I don't know," she sighed.

Inuyasha's head drooped. "How can you not know?"

Raising an eyebrow at exasperated tone, the spirit drifted to float right in front of the hanyou. "I don't know because I didn't pay attention to where I was coming from when I floated back here."

Needless to say, he was quite confused. "What?"

"When my soul left my body, I wasn't watching where it was." She shrugged as if it was no big deal. "I don't even know if it's in one piece or if it's been burned. I didn't spend any time looking for it either."

"Oh…" The hanyou stared off into the branches of the tree. Hadn't those old scriptures told him that her body had been turned to ashes? But then, there had never been any evidence that the villagers had found her body at all… It was all so confusing. But then a curious thought struck him. "Oi."

"Hm?"

Inuyasha glanced at Kagome from the corner of his eye. "What's it feel like to die?" It was a horribly imprudent question and asked in such an aloof fashion that the miko fell out of the air.

"What?!" Blue eyes turned to meet golden amber.

He shrugged. "I'm just wondering, you know? Someday, I'm going to kick the bucket too…" He drifted off and leaned back, lying on the grass.

"Kick the bucket? What bucket?"

Right. That expression was unknown to her.

"I mean, someday, I'm going to die and-"

"Don't think about it." Suddenly, Kagome's voice had turned hard with authority. "Don't think about having to die right now, Inuyasha. You're still young. You're a half-demon. You don't have to think about death." Her voice lost some of its heat. "Please? Can we not talk about that right now?"

He cast a glance at her. She was biting her lip and an almost lost expression was on her face. "Yeah. Fine." There must have been a reason why she wasn't telling him… He mentally sighed. The trust thing wasn't going along as well as before. If he couldn't even find out exactly how the girl died, how was he supposed to get her to go?

The girl relaxed. "Thank you."

"Keh."

A few moment of silence passed by, filled with the chirping of various birds.

"Soo…" the spirit drew out the word, clearly having nothing to discuss. She straightened up and sat, hovering in the air. "Anything interesting happened yet?"

He shot her an exasperated glare. Feeling impatiently restless again, Inuyasha hopped to his feet and resumed pacing in a frustrated fervour. "I hate standing around like this!"

Kagome sighed and once again, resigned to following his track with her eyes, chin resting on the palm of her hand. "If you're so worried about Kagura coming back and finishing you off-"

He threw a nasty look her way. "As if that woman could hurt me!"

She looked at him dryly. "Oh no? And who was practically crying in pain just the other day?"

"Keh."

"Mou, you're just as stubborn as Kouga-kun was-…" As soon as the words had left her mouth, Kagome's eyes widened.

Inuyasha stared at her. "Who's Kouga?""

Her response was quick. "Nevermind."

He scowled at her but decided to let it pass.

Coughing, the miko quickly covered up the suddenly awkward silence. "As I was saying, if you're so worried about her coming _back_," she emphasised 'back' just to let him know what she meant, "then why didn't you just ki-… hurt her more the other day?" Kagome had avoided saying 'kill', not knowing if that was what she had really meant.

The hanyou stopped and marched up to the spirit. With her hovering in the air, it only took him to bend his back slightly to be eye-to-eye with her. "I was in pain-"

She pointed a victorious finger at him. "Ha! Told you!"

"-and I didn't know how to use my stupid sword-" Tetsusaiga gave a seemingly indignant pulse, "-and besides, you're the one who missed her with that arrow. If you'd actually hit her, she'd probably have been purified." He straightened and crossed his arms. "So there. You had the perfect opportunity and you _missed_." The half-demon snorted.

An embarrassed flush staining her cheeks, Kagome got to her feet and lowered herself to ground level. "For your information, it's been a few centuries since I properly shot something. And besides, it's not like I can really practice since my arrows fly _through_ whatever I'm aiming at!"

The half-demon stuck out his tongue in a gesture that was considered most childish. "Not my fault. If you were good enough, you would have hit her." It seemed as though the pressure of stress had finally been too much.

Kagome step back in resentment. "You… immature… brat!"

Golden eyes blinked in astonishment. "Brat? Is that the best you can do?" He smirked at the fuming girl. "Wench."

She met his challenge. "Dog."

"Bitch."

"Cur."

"You know that's just another word for 'dog', right?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.

The spirit 'hmphed'. "So? Bitch is… a little like wench." Her nose wrinkled. "And just as disrespectful."

"Cow."

"Cow? An eyebrow rose. "Cow? Where did you come up with that?" However, she had nothing to add to that and in remaining silent, gave the hanyou the impression that he had 'won'.

Inuyasha was victorious. "Ha! You ran out of names!" He stepped back from the glaring match and grinned at the agitated spirit.

Kagome's eyes closed in irritation as her fists clenched and unclenched rhythmically. "And what importance, pray ask, might that be?"

Ignorant to her rather obvious animosity, the hanyou shrugged. "Who cares? I won's all that matters."

Her patience broke. Blue eyes suddenly flying open in a scowl, the girl pointed a single finger straight into the half-demon's face. "Inuyasha…" her voice was low and laced with annoyance.

He developed a strange and slightly comical look when his eyes became crossed as he stared at her finger. "What is it, wench?" For somebody who only reached his chest height, Kagome appeared to be quite menacing as her expression darkened even further.

The lines on her forehead deepened. She stared hard at Inuyasha, concentrating and with a suddenly loud voice, uttered a single commanding word: "Sit!"

A few moments passed without event.

The man quirked an eyebrow. "What-"

But he was cut off as an oddly tingling sensation began at the back of his neck. It was subtle and almost as if somebody were dripping water onto him, but before the hanyou could twist his neck in an attempt to see, another far more obvious impression was impressed into him.

With the effect of having a load equivalent to the weight of an adult elephant suddenly dropped onto his back, Inuyasha's eyes had time to widen comically before he collapsed onto the ground, arousing several clouds of dust from the ground. The thump of flesh meeting dirt had caused the earth to tremble slightly, shaking a few leaves from the tree towering over them.

Having fallen face first into the ground, his unquestionably foul language was muffled by the blades of grass. Dog-ears had flattened on top of his head. The half-demon attempted to rise, but it seemed as though whatever had happened was still having an effect and blatantly wouldn't allow him to stand.

Anger having abated and been replaced by amusement mingled with a bit of concern, Kagome squatted down in front of the fallen man, the bottom of her pants almost- but not quite –brushing against the top of his head. "Hey, are you all right?"

A darkly grumbled response was her reply.

She giggled. "Don't eat too much dirt or grass, Inuyasha. It's not healthy for a dog."

Finally, the half-demon could feel some semblance of control returning to his maltreated body and slowly, deliberately, he gathered himself up from the ground. Amber eyes remained intentionally closed as the full extent of Kagome's 'punishment' was revealed.

The spirit laughed at his appearance: what had once been a moderately clean white shirt, was now stained with green and brown smudges. Several blades of grass had broken and now littered the front of his body. The worn jeans he wore had suffered the same fate with a patch of something black and sticky on the knee where Inuyasha had crushed an unsuspecting insect.

But most comical of all, was the half-demon's face, which was quite red, covered with brown and green. His ears remained pressed to his head as Inuyasha shook the foliage that had fallen into his hair.

Kagome grinned sheepishly and muffled a laugh. "Whoops! I must have used a little too much force…" Unable to contain it, the spirit broke into another fit of giggles.

"I'm glad you're amused." The voice of Inuyasha was heavily draped with sarcasm and somehow more menacing than before. His teeth were visibly clenched and his eyes slowly opened to find a miko, laughing hard at his increasingly disgruntled expression. "I'm sure it was hilarious."

Slowly, her laughter abated and Kagome raised her gaze to land on an annoyed visage. She managed to choke the last of her sniggers with a cough. "Sorry Inuyasha, but you deserved it."

The hanyou scowled at her. "And how did I deserve it, woman?"

"Because you were being silly, rude and childish." The spirit shrugged at him.

"And making me fall face-first into the ground isn't?" He was grinding his teeth now.

Kagome grinned at him. "Nope!"

The hanyou heaved a sigh and sat down within the slight impression his fall had made in the ground. "And just how did you make me do that?"

"Use your brain."

Inuyasha closed his eyes. "Those weird power things again?"

The spirit happily fluttered down to join him on the grass. "Yup! No sense having these things if you don't use them, right?" She turned slightly concerned. "But seriously, you aren't hurt right?"

A slightly sarcastic smirk lifted a corner of his mouth. "No sense asking me that now. But no, I'm fine." One eye opened to glare at the girl. "Just don't do it again."

She shrugged. "If I have to…" She looked at him pointedly, "but it's partially your fault too."

Both eyes opened in surprise. "M-my fault? How was it _my_ fault? **I** was the one who nearly had his back broken in!"

"You're the one who told me about people in this time training their dogs to fetch, heel and," her eyes twinkled mischievously, "sit."

On that single, word, Inuyasha flinched but nothing happened. Kagome was sent into another transport of giggles. The hanyou sighed. "Yeah, yeah." But then the full meaning of her words sank in. "I am _not_ your pet!" His glare regained its heat.

Kagome pointed at the furry appendages on top of Inuyasha's head as they twitched in the soft wind. "So? Those adorable ears are enough for me." Catching what she had said, the miko's face turned just the slightest colour of pink but she didn't retract what she said.

He grumbled, "They're not 'adorable', they're…" Frowning, the hanyou tried to think of a word. The ears twitched "They're… useful." He raised his chin. "I can hear things that your pitiful human ears can't."

Interested, the miko leaned forward a little. "Like what?"

"Like the squirrels just in that tree over there," he jabbed his thumb in the direction of a rather small oak, "and the stream trickling outside."

The girl frowned. "I don't remember there being a stream here. There was one close to the village, but not here."

"There are man-made streams now. The one out there runs around the house and I think my mom's family had it dug out." He shrugged. "It doesn't matter, anyway."

However, Kagome didn't seem to think this was as light a matter as he did. Her expression remained dark. "There are methods to control how nature runs? What next- guided winds?"

Inuyasha shrugged again. "I don't think they're going to go that far…" He continued describing the extent of his hearing, looking to distract her from the topic. "I can hear the birds in the forest back there, deeper in. I can also hear our-" he suddenly cut himself off.

She blinked at him. "Hear what?"

The hanyou shot her a strange look she'd never seen before on his face. It was almost guilty, but not quite. He hastily responded, "I can hear a lot of things."

Kagome shrugged and leaned back to look into the sky. "It must be interesting to have such heightened sounds…"

Inuyasha only half listened to her as he quickly looked away. He had been about to say that he heard their heartbeats, but that wasn't right. Just before completing the sentence, his ears had caught on to the fact that there was just _one_ beating heart there, and it was obvious to whom it belonged.

He took a quick glimpse of the miko. She was lying back, almost touching the grass but not quite. The sunlight shined through her body and hit the grass only slightly darker, almost as if passing through translucent curtains. No matter how had he tried, Inuyasha couldn't detect any semblance of sound from the girl.

She _was_ dead, wasn't she…

And yet somehow, in their conversations, he had forgotten that fact. Kagome acted so… normally that it only seemed natural that she was real and alive, in flesh.

'But she's not.'

And for one reason or another, this sudden understanding caused a sudden heaviness on his soul. What it was, though and why he felt that way was foreign to him. Throwing his thoughts out of the proverbial window, the half-demon rolled his shoulders and sat up straight. He didn't need to think of such things right now.

Hell, he didn't _want_ to think.

"…right, Inuyasha?"

What was that? Had she just asked him a question? "What was she talking about?" The half-demon shot a wide-eyed and innocent look at the girl. "…what?"

She sighed, shaking her head. "You weren't listening."

"Of course I was…"

"Then what did I say?"

"…"

Azure eyes rolled. "I thought so."

Inuyasha 'keh-ed' "I was thinking-"

"I hope it didn't hurt."

He glared at her. "Well, I heard what you said, I just didn't listen."

She returned the scowl. "Big difference."

"So, what were you saying?"

Kagome opened mouth to answer- before closing it with a frown. "I don't remember."

The half-demon snorted in amusement.

"Oh shut it. It's your fault."

"Everything's my fault."

The spirit turned and grinned widely at him. "Sure it is! From the Shikon no Tama being created to a worm being cut in half, everything's your fault," she stated happily.

Inuyasha gave her a dry look and shook his head disparagingly. "That's it. You've snapped. Gone crazy."

"And that's your fault too."

He shook his head. "Right…" But then, doggy ears twitched and swivelled to train onto a sound that was coming from outside of the garden. "What?"

Kagome looked at him curiously, reaching easily for her bow. "What is it? Danger?"

The hanyou frowned. "No… it sounds like… my doorbell…"

"Doorbell?" she was distinctly puzzled.

"Something somebody rings that makes a sound and tells the- never mind. I'll tell you some other time." The answer was absent and Inuyasha stood up. The sharp blades of grass tickled his bare feet. "It just means that somebody's waiting for me to open the front door, and I'm not there."

"So go answer." She shooed him off.

He sighed. "It's probably some annoying salesman wanting to get some money offa me." He began striding towards the entrance and could sense Kagome following him. "I guess I'll see ya later."

She cocked her head to the side. "I'm ecstatic."

Inuyasha shot her a dry glance. "Right. Please, restrain your ecstasy." He stepped out of the doorways and looked back. The miko stood there like somebody sending off a visitor from their home, which, as he reminded himself, wasn't far from the truth. "Then again, it could be that Hono guy again."

Shaking his head in exasperation, the hanyou walked off towards the entrance of his estate, completely missing the confused expression on Kagome's face. In a voice even he could not hear, the miko whispered to herself, "Did he just say Hono?" She shrugged it off and waved a last time to the half-demon before retreating into her haven, carefully shutting the doors behind her.

In the meantime, Inuyasha was tromping his way on the grass towards the main entrance, debating on whether to answer from within or to surprise the caller from behind. Passing the side entrance, the hanyou shrugged indifferently. "Surprise it is."

As he quickly approached the front, another resounding ring rang through the house. He frowned and mused to himself, "I've got to tone that thing down sometime…"

Soon, it became apparent that the visitor was becoming increasingly impatient as Inuyasha took his sweet time answering them. The rings became more and more closely grouped together. Scowling, the half-demon jogged the rest of the way- three-quarters of the mansion's length to come out at the face of it. There, standing just outside of the main entrance was a man who was certainly growing frustrated.

The hanyou crept up behind him. Though the caller was downwind, he had an inkling of who it was if that dragon's tail and golden staff was anything to judge by.

Standing a few feet behind the human, Inuyasha crossed his arms and awaited his friend to notice him. Suddenly, the man's usually long patience gave out and he banged on the door with the metal-made staff he carried. "Damn it, Inuyasha, answer the freaking door!"

"You know, if you break that, you're going to have to pay for it."

Starting badly, Miroku whipped around, violet eyes almost comically wide. "Shit, Yash! Don't scare me like that! I'm only human, you know!"

The half-demon raised an eyebrow. "Payback for all those years I had to room with you."

Regaining his composure, Miroku sighed and shook his head. "It wasn't an easy job living with you either."

"I'm sure."

The monk quirked an eyebrow. "What have you been doing? It looks like you've been rolling around in the mud…"

Inuyasha twitched. "I'll tell you later." Hopefully, he'd forget before then. He pointed a clawed finger at the small sports bag his friend had dropped onto the ground and his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "What's up with that?"

The human suddenly threw the hanyou an unexpectedly nasty glare and unzipped the backpack he wore. 'Thanks to you, man, I got thrown out." Reaching a hand into it, he drew out a familiar manila folder. "'Maybe you guys can look at it together', you said." Miroku scowled. "Great advice."

Staring at it, slightly bewildered, Inuyasha looked at him questioningly. Then, the light clicked on and the gaze turned amused. "You actually showed it to her?" He snorted. "I thought you would've been smarter than _that_."

The monk-in-training thrust the package into Inuyasha's arms. "Yeah, only why would I suspect that my _best_-friend would have given me a dirty magazine?"

The half-demon was literally shaking with amusement. "And so you called her over and opened it together?"

"Shut up." Miroku was in an uncommonly bad mood. "When Sango saw what it was, she… ah… threw me out."

Inuyasha stood up straight and looked at his friend disbelievingly. "Don't you mean, she beat you up, _then_ threw you out?"

The man sighed. "And she didn't even let me explain…" His countenance became slightly confused. "She's been acting really strange lately…"

"I don't blame her."

"Oh shut up," he repeated. "It's your fault anyway."

The hanyou threw crossed his arms. "Everything's my fault," he grumbled. But then he waved the envelop-covered magazine. "But if you hadn't had some sort of perverse fixation with American smut, you wouldn't be here… speaking of which, what are you doing at my house?"

The glare intensified. "Well, since I don't have any place to go, I remembered what a generous person my friend is and his many roomed house." The staff jingled as Miroku pointed its tip at the hanyou. "I'm staying here."

The alarm bells began ringing in Inuyasha's head. "Oh no… No. No. No." He pointed down the road. "You are **not** staying here. I am not putting up with your weird habits again."

"Yash…"

"No. Go stay with Munshin or somebody. Anywhere but here. I don't care if you have to beg on your knees for her to take you back."

The human mirrored his crossed-armed stance, pushing the base of the staff into the grass covered ground. "I'm not going anywhere until I drop off my stuff, Yash. It's your fault I got kicked out. I'm not staying with Munshin. He's cared for me all those years since my father died, and I'm not troubling him again." Miroku's expression was dead serious.

"Plus the fact that you hate his drinking habit."

"That too."

"Go to a hotel."

"I'm not wasting that money." The human scowled at him. "Face it, Inuyasha. I'm here to stay until Sango calms down. Right now, she'd slaughter me if I got within a half-mile radius. And you know she can do it too, what with all that exterminating training and that boomerang of hers."

Inuyasha frowned. "But she didn't act that way when she found that entire stack of… manga under your bed during university…"

"I know," Miroku sighed, looking a little lost, "I said she's been acting weird."

Cracking his knuckles, a sure sign of annoyance, the half-demon tapped a foot impatiently. "Well, how long is it going to take?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Last time she got this angry, it took about two weeks."

"Two weeks?!" The hanyou gaped at him. "What did you do?"

"Well, we were at this fancy restaurant and this really cute waitress dropped her wash cloth near my seat… she bent down to pick up, and, well… what can I say? My hands have minds of their own."

Inuyasha sighed. "Old habits die hard?"

"Mm."

"But it couldn't have just been that… It takes more to get Sango really angry."

The human had the decency to look sheepish. "It… ah… may have been our- anniversary."

"Smooth."

"Thanks." Miroku clapped his hands together. "So, shall we go in now?"

The glower returned. "I'll give you one week and no more, monk." A clawed hand reached for the door and slid it open. "When your time's up, I don't care if Sango's going to castrate you, you're out." He walked in.

His friend flinched. "Now that wouldn't be nice." Miroku picked up his staff and bag and followed the half-demon through the main entrance, through the eastern door. "So, where's my room going to be?"

Inuyasha turned around, flicking on the low lights. "You can pick any one of them, as long as you stay on this side of the house."

"Why?"

"Because I'm on the other side, and I don't want you closer than absolutely necessary."

"Right… As the kids say, Eenie, meenie, minie, moo." the human glanced into the room that was closest to them and threw his bag and backpack in. "Now that's done with."

Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow. "It's 'moe', not 'moo'."

"So?"

"Nevermind." He pointed to a door across the hall from the rooms. "That's a kitchen, but I don't think there's anything in it. I've shown you the western side and everything's basically symmetrical-"

"Hey- you used a big word!" Miroku gave mock applause. "Good job!"

Inuyasha sighed. "-and you should be able to find your way around."

"That's fine. Hey, thanks Yash."

"Whatever."

The monk grinned and stretched, the rings on the staff jingling. "So, about this spirit girl… how far have you two gotten?" He was answered by a glare. Miroku waved his hands in a placating manner. "I didn't mean it like that. I meant, have you been getting to know each other?" He sighed when that didn't sound as innocent as he'd intended it. "How about you forget my past habits and just answer the question?"

"We were attacked."

That certainly caught his attention. "What? When? By whom?"

"Two days ago, by some wind demon named Kagura."

He frowned thoughtfully. "Kagura, eh? That name sounds a little familiar. I don't know why though…" he shrugged as an unconscious gesture. "So, what did she want?"

"A jewel called the-" Inuyasha paused.

"Called the…?"

The hanyou fixed his friend with a steady stare. "You have to promise to keep this secret. If you spill, Sango won't be the only one after your head."

"I promise by my right as a servant of Buddha." Miroku bowed.

"Fine. It's called the Shikon no Tama."

"You're kidding."

He raised an eyebrow. "You know about it?'

"I've heard about it. It's supposed to be really powerful." The monk was serious now. "It's coveted by demons and evil-hearted humans and had to be protected by a miko… I heard it disappeared a few centuries ago, but-" realisation dawned. "You mean, this miko of yours knows where the jewel is?"

That… was a good point. Inuyasha hadn't thought to ask whether it still existed or if she knew where it was hidden… "I'm not… sure," the hanyou's frown deepened. "You know what? How about we go right now?"

"Now? Into that garden of yours?" This was unexpected.

"Yes, now. There's nothing else you have to do…"

"Well, no. What if she's busy?"

The hanyou thought about it and shook his head. "Nah. Let's go."

"Alright… Just let me bring some ofuda spells with me." He caught Inuyasha's strange stare. "Just in case something happens. You never know."

The hanyou rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Even if something does come, I can take care of it with Tetsusaiga."

"Oh? Did you talk to Sesshoumaru about your sword?" Miroku emerged from his new room.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Keh. I figured out how to use it on my own. I don't need that bastard's help."

"Really? I must say, Inuyasha, I'm impressed." The pair made its way towards the eastern entrance. "I just hope you realise that your katana has more than one special attack… and if you only found one, it'd still be best to talk to your brother about it."

"Just shut up."

"Right." They began walking towards the back of the yard. "Nice design of the place."

"I guess."

Miroku sighed. "Really, Yash. This place is wasted on you."

The hanyou spun around. "What the hell d'ya mean by that?"

"Well, for the duration of your stay, where have you explored? And I mean, actually walked around and looked at things."

"Library, that training room, my room and… I guess part of the garden."

"My point is made."

"Whatever." They crossed the bridge at the back of the house, reaching the great wooden doors. "Listen up, monk, I don't want you doing anything that you would normally do. Understand?"

Miroku managed a wounded look. "You don't trust me?"

He earned a glare. "No."

The human deflated. "Fine. I won't touch your girl."

Inuyasha burned red. "She's not my girl!"

"Sure, sure." Miroku waved it off. "Let's go in now, shall we?"

The hanyou shot him a suspicious look before pushing gently on the doors. As they began to walk through and into the garden, Inuyasha gave Miroku another withering scowl and allowed him to walk ahead.

'Why do I feel like I'm going to regret this?'

* * *

Review Responses:

-- sapphire pink  
Well, younger children generally have purer souls (so they say) than the older ones and Kaede would be a little too young, yes? Kikyou's killed all sorts of things (if she's been defending the village) and well, the story just wouldn't run as well if Kikyou were the protector of the Shikon no Tama… ; ) And, oh no. Kikyou didn't love. At least, that's what her journal says.

-- Izayoi  
Fantasy is good, no? You were confused? I would have been too, I suppose. Now, can't you just guess what relation Sango is to Kanshou now? XD

-- hanyou-elf  
It could definitely happen… ahh- =D I'm glad you can't wait to read more...

-- Katami  
Is that new? Of course, there are those completely modern-day fics where Kikyou and Kagome and Inuyasha exist in the same time, but this concept is a little new, no? Unexpected twist? I suppose. XD

-- AngelMiko289  
Naraku? It might have been. I hope to fully release that information soon… preferably the next chapter, but if not… any other guesses?

-- November Dusk  
Ah, Shippou. I'm debating it, but I really can't see how I can bring in the little runt. -.-;; His character right now, would be a little redundant, although he might make a brief appearance… And, bringing Kikyou back might stretch the story on a little, no? I doubt she wants to come back, but it's up to speculation…

-- lady lilacks

Flirting? Well, that certainly is an interesting way to describe it, but I suppose it's true, no? -.-;; The shoes have been destroyed… how sad… Oh! Puss-in-boots eyes… heh. I can still see that… since watching the movie how-long-ago…

.

Many thanks to: 

AnimeAngelz

WhiteDloud

Mental Monkey

FieryDemonFox

Poison Death Tree (Almighty? O.o)

darkscorpio28

Ryngrl5

* * *

Translations:

Oi - Hey

* * *

[I could resist bringing in the 'sit'. XD. Oh, oh! Miroku's back! Yay…! A little more mystery is introduced… just who is Kouga?

…

This chapter was finished after reading some Cooper (The Dark is Rising), but her influence isn't apparent. For some reason, I felt like writing this chapter in Inuyasha's point of view. In fact, I got down the first few paragraphs, before realising it was in first person perspective...

Oh well.

Till next time…

Ja!]


	11. The Plot Thickens

Disclaimer: If I need to write this out, you need a mental check-up. -.-;;

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

.

--Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

{The hanyou shot him a suspicious look before pushing gently on the doors. As they began to walk through and into the garden, Inuyasha gave Miroku another withering scowl and allowed him to walk ahead.

'Why do I feel like I'm going to regret this?'}

.

****

Chapter ELEVEN:

The Plot Thickens

.

"You know, this really is a nice place."

Inuyasha gave the man ahead of him a glare he couldn't see. He was beginning to rethink introducing Miroku to Kagome. Sure, the guy was his best friend, but this was Miroku here!

The man who couldn't seem to keep his 'cursed' hands off anything that seemed even remotely female. This was the guy who, before meeting Sango, asked every single woman he came across, to do him the 'honour' of bearing his child. He'd been out with more girls than Inuyasha could count.

Most didn't last the first date before running out of it, usually in hysterics.

The man had a certain charm that made him the centre of attention among the females. Then, of course, the girls got to actually know him…

The hanyou crossed his arms and glowered at Miroku's back. If he even tried to make a move on Kagome… it didn't matter that he couldn't touch her, but just one wrong word…

Inuyasha shook his head and followed his friend, who by this time, was walking around the entrance area of the garden. The first thing he did was approach the Goshinboku and study it.

"This isn't a normal tree, is it?" His voice shook the half-demon out of his dark thoughts.

"What?"

Miroku turned around. "I don't know why, but for some reason, this tree doesn't feel normal."

He frowned. "Feel normal? How the hell does a tree feel normal?" Inuyasha shrugged. "You're right though. The Goshinboku is some sort of 'spiritual tree'."

The man nodded and hopped down from the tall roots, strolling over to join Inuyasha. "So where's this lady friend of yours?"

"She'll come when she feels like it."

A dubious look on his face, Miroku thought over his words before saying them. "You mean to say that, we could be here for any given amount of time without her making an appearance?"

"She usually comes. She knows when somebody's in _her_ garden." He made a face. "I can't tell you when she's coming, but it's only been half an hour since I last saw her."

A half amused, half-delighted expression flashed across Miroku's face before he rearranged it to seem passive. "Ah. I see. So you were alone with her just before I came?" He sat down on the grass-covered floor in the shade of the huge tree. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything."

Inuyasha closed his eyes and snorted. "You don't have to worry, monk. You didn't interrupt anything… because there's nothing to interrupt! Nothing's going on!" He plopped down next to him.

"Suuure." The human nodded at him knowingly. "Of course there's nothing."

Supremely annoyed, the hanyou cracked his knuckles. "How could we do anything, huh? She's a fucking _spirit_. She can't touch me, I can't touch her." Golden eyes flashed open. "So get your mind out of the damn gutter!"

"I'm sure you could have managed something."

Holding on to his thinning patience, Inuyasha laid back onto the grass. He could stand Miroku at any time except for when the topic was trained on anything involving himself and girls. For some reason, the man found it amusing to tease and annoy the hanyou about any female that happened to become associated with him.

Sensing his friend's escalating annoyance, Miroku wisely kept his mouth shut and merely shot another amused glance at him. A silent wind stole across the enclosed space, jingling the rings on the monk's staff as it went. His gaze sharpened.

"She's here."

Inuyasha shot up and looked around. "Where? I don't see anyone." His nose twitched. "I don't smell her either…" but then he drifted off as another gust of wind reached them. With it, drifted carried that familiarly pleasant scent... The hanyou looked at his friend, surprised. "How the heck did you know?"

But it wasn't Miroku who answered him. "Because he's a monk, and has trained spiritual senses. You're back early."

Two pairs of eyes travelled up to find a miko standing directly in front of them. Kagome wore an expression of amusement on her face at the identical surprised countenances on the both of their faces.

"Damn it, I hate it when you do that," sighed an exasperated hanyou. "Could you just give us a warning once?"

"_He_ knew I was coming."

Having gotten over his initial surprise at finding the miko sooner than he expected, Miroku finally snapped to it and stood up. "Miko-sama, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Surprised, Kagome gave Inuyasha a look that he could read clearly: 'I thought he was the perverted one?' To Miroku, she bowed back. "Houshi-sama, please, call me Kagome." She made a face. "I don't like formalities."

As soon as she said that, a grin spread over the monk's face and he knelt before the startled miko. "Neither do I. In this case, please call me Miroku, my lady." Unable to take her hand in his, Miroku settled for clasping his own two hands together in front of her. "I must say that you are even more beautiful in life. I hope we can get to know each other better." He flashed a grin at her.

Slightly more suspicious, Kagome stepped back some. "It's nice to meet you too?"

He went on. "I would have suggested us to become intimately acquainted if it weren't for the fact that Inuyasha here has already put a claim on-!"

A clawed hand prevented him from finishing his sentence as Inuyasha pulled the human back. His face was slightly red from either embarrassment or anger, even though he had been certain that was going to happen. "I told you the bastard was perverted."

Miroku freed himself from his friend's grip. "I'm sorry, but my parents were married."

Confused eyes alighted on him. "What does that have to do with anything?"

He crossed his arms. "The dictionary defines 'bastard' as a person born to parents not married to each other." Miroku nodded sagely, not shaken in the least by Inuyasha's interference. "Therefore, I am not a bastard."

"And I don't give a damn."

The human opened his mouth to make a remark, but a female voice made him pause.

"You two are friends?" The miko was staring at them incredulously. "I have never seen such behaviour between friends!"

"Best friends." Miroku smiled his signature grin again, but it didn't seem to have much of an effect on her. He shrugged. "It's a male thing."

Inuyasha snorted. "Ignore his habits. He can usually control himself when Sango's around, but now…"

"But now, my darling's in the city and she's thrown me away in a fit of unprecedented anger." He faked a tragic expression and put a hand over his heart. "Alas, she is behaving strangely." His eyes were rolled up towards the sky.

Inuyasha whacked him mildly over the head. "Get a hold of yourself."

Kagome blinked at them and backed away a little. "Okay… So why _are_ you back so soon?" She directed the question at the hanyou who was shaking his head at his friend's antics. "And why is he with you?"

"He showed up on my doorstep 'cause his girlfriend threw him out, and now he's living here-"

Miroku recomposed himself and stared at Inuyasha coolly. "Because it was your fault in the first place."

"Whatever," the half-demon shrugged it off, "so there's nothing else to do, and I decided to introduce you two."

The spirit raised an eyebrow and lowered herself to sit near the both of them. "Well, Miroku-sama, from how Inuyasha described you, I must say you're not quite what I expected." Blue eyes surveyed him with a light curiosity. "I expected somebody more… promiscuous."

Inuyasha snorted, attempting to mask it with a fake sneeze.

The human raised an eyebrow at the hanyou and folded his hands calmly. "Perhaps my friend exaggerated my… err… unusual habits, but I do have a certain reputation." His smile turned slightly sheepish. "But what can I say? My hands are cursed."

Kagome looked at him in surprise. "They are? I didn't know that… Is there some way to dispel the curse?"

"Kagome-sama, I am truly touched by your concern." His head bowed. "But you can't help me, unless you could do me the pleasure of bearing my child…"

She reeled back. "What?! What an unusual curse… and an unusual counter-curse…"

The preciously silent half-demon coughed, drawing the attention of his companions. "As I said, ignore the pervert. He does that to every girl he meets." He shook his head sadly. "His hands aren't cursed. It's his habit and how he picks up girls." Inuyasha shot a warning glance at Miroku. "If Sango were here…"

The human grinned. "If Sango were here, I wouldn't have to worry about asking Kagome-sama to bear my-" He was interrupted by a handful of grass that was aimed deftly for his mouth.

"Too much information." Inuyasha scowled. "Keep that to your own damn self."

Kagome watched the proceedings with a bored interest before cutting in. "Wasn't there a reason why you came back?"

Miroku, wiping his face free of grass, turned to face the miko, serious for the first time since meeting her. "Yes, in fact there is." He touched the base of his staff and remarked with an offhand casual air, "The Shikon no Tama."

The girl's eyebrows rose and she glanced over to Inuyasha. "You told him?"

"A little."

She turned back to the monk. "What do you know about the jewel?"

"Not much, except for the fact that it was wanted by all demons for its awesome power. It had the ability to increase the magical and physical properties of any living thing, but in exchange, it drew energy from the host's soul."

The other two listened closely to him, "I didn't know that." Kagome looked at him curiously. "I was just in charge of purifying the jewel, but neither Akuba-san, Omake-baa-san or Kikyou told me any of that."

Miroku looked at her inquiringly. "Who?"

"The one who gave me the jewel, my village elder and my instructor and friend." Kagome waved it off. "I'll tell you later."

"Right." The monk closed his eyes in thought. "The jewel of four souls, I know it was created from a battle between a miko and many youkai. I know that their souls were trapped within the jewel-"

"How do you know all this?" Inuyasha frowned. "I just learned a couple of days ago, but you…" He stared at him.

Violet eyes opened. "My friends, it really is too bad Sango isn't here. I'm sure she could tell us a lot more."

"Why would Sango know all this?"

Miroku ignored the hanyou and instead, directed a question to Kagome. "From where did you receive the jewel?"

"Four representatives came from a far away village-"

"A village of exterminators?"

She nodded. "Did Inuyasha tell you that?"

"No." The light clicked in Inuyasha's head. "Of course." He saw Kagome's questioning look and elaborated. "Sango's background can be traced to an extremely old, talented and proud village of demon exterminators. That's probably the village that gave you the jewel, and there would obviously be stories." He frowned. "Stories that were probably passed down from generation to generation."

"That's right." Miroku nodded. "I was studying ancient relics for Mushin when she mentioned the Shikon no Tama. I thought it was just a legend, but now…" His expression was serious. "Now, with what's been happening, there seems to be a lot more in connection with the jewel."

"How so?"

The monk turned to Inuyasha. "You haven't been keeping up with daily news, have you?"

The hanyou gestured around him. "How the hell was I supposed to do that? The cable's been cut off and it's not like I have newspaper deliveries." He shook his head. "Besides, I'm too busy with the past to know about the present."

Miroku studied the shadows of the tree leaves on the ground. "Then you wouldn't know about the mystery surrounding the death of a man called Kagewaki Hitomi?"

Inuyasha's ears twitched. "Who's he? And why the hell would I care?"

Miroku closed his eyes, drawing up the facts. "Kagewaki Hitomi was the heir to an extremely successful business corporation. He inherited it seven years ago when his father died of mysterious reasons." The monk raised his gaze. "The father had been killed through drinking poisoned tea. His son, at the time, was terminally ill with an unknown and therefore, incurable disease. However, just days before his father's death, Hitomi, the son, made a complete recovery- something about banishing the evil spirits that were cursing him." Miroku frowned. "The servants testified that the young mater was acting strangely after he was cured. He had a different personality and was searching for references to a certain jewel."

Kagome sat up. "The Shikon no Tama?"

"It wasn't certain at the time, but there's more to the story." The monk gripped his staff. "As I said, a few days after Kagewaki recovered, his father was discovered dead in his own room. The wife had died long before, and there were no other children in the Kagewaki family. Naturally, Hitomi was pronounced the heir of the family fortune and the business."

"So you think the guy killed his own old man?"

Miroku glanced at the hanyou. "It's possible, but this happened seven years ago. There's still more."

"Go on then."

"It was strange, how Hitomi took over the corporation. Originally, the business was devoted to inventing, improving and manufacturing electronic goods, but now, the man seemed to have developed an interest in combining spiritual artefacts with modern technology." He shook his head. "The money gradually drained out of the failing corporation. He had to sell many of his the patents and close down several of his factories. He kept on withdrawing from his bank account until Kagewaki was left with little over a million yen."

"That's still a hell of a lot of money."

The monk shook his head. "But it wasn't enough to run a business as large as his own." Miroku paused. "Here's where it gets more personal in relation to you, Inuyasha."

The half-demon raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Kagewaki knew that his father had had business deals with another head of a major corporation… Mamoru Corporations."

Inuyasha frowned. "My father's business?"

"That's right. Originally, your father and the elder Kagewaki had been associates to another minor company before separating and creating their own enterprises. They had remained in contact for a while, but when your father died and Sesshoumaru took over, the bridge between Mamoru and Kagewaki Corporations disintegrated."

"No shit. Sesshoumaru wouldn't want to deal with humans."

Kagome had remained silent throughout, but now broke her silence. "Sesshoumaru is your elder brother?"

"Elder half-brother," corrected the hanyou. "He really doesn't like humans, and therefore, he hates me." He snorted. "Like I care."

Miroku sighed. "He doesn't _hate_ you."

"Damn straight he does."

"Then why did he pay for your university tuition?"

"Keh."

"Why did he even bother to contact you and give you a home when he could have left it alone? You wouldn't have asked him about your father's will- he could have kept this place, or sold it for a hefty price."

Inuyasha shifted. "Whatever."

"Whether you like it or not, you're related through the blood of your father, and that's going to count for something."

"Miroku-sama's right."

The hanyou turned a betrayed gaze to Kagome. "You're supposed to be on my side!"

She crossed her arms. "You're related, and whether you're half-demon or not, you're still brothers." She turned to Miroku. "Please go on."

"Thank you, Kagome-sama." He cleared his throat. "When Kagewaki Hitomi realised he was in financial trouble, he searched through his father's contacts and came up with Mamoru Corp- A major competitor, but that also meant a lot of money that he could borrow. It didn't matter to him that it was run by a demon- so long as he would benefit from the acquaintance."

"This man's a suspicious character."

"Too right," confirmed the monk. "He scheduled an appointment with your brother, but Sesshoumaru wouldn't lend the money. What the exact sum was, you're going to have to ask yourself, but it was a huge amount and your brother was probably certain that he would never see it again, given Kagewaki's past record. Kagewaki tried some other sources, but none of them would lend the money."

"Big surprise."

"But there's more."

Inuyasha sighed. "How much more?"

The human ignored him. "Just six days ago, Kagewaki Hitomi was found dead in his office."

Kagome cocked her head. "Suicide?"

"That's what the police- you know what police are?"

"Yeah, she knows what police are. I told her." Inuyasha waved it off. "Go on."

"Yes, well, that's what the police thought too, but an autopsy report turned up other results." Miroku shook his head. "They discovered that the body they had found had been dead for the past approximate seven years." He paused to assess the reactions.

Inuyasha's frown deepened and Kagome seemed confused. "That's not possible, is it? For seven years to have passed by- the body would have rotted long before then!"

"Scientists found cell ruptures in the flesh, organs- everywhere. That pointed to the fact that the body had been frozen. When the water content in the cytoplasm reached freezing point, the molecules expanded and pierced the cell membrane- or so the report said. I don't remember much from high school biology."

"That's sick." The hanyou scowled. "That's just twisted."

The miko bit her lip. "So somebody killed the man and just threw his body into a… what's it called? A…"

"Freezer?" suggested Miroku.

"Yes. They just stored the body into a freezer? Why didn't they just get rid of it?"

The man shook his head. "I have no idea. But the thing is, if Kagewaki had been dead for the past seven years, then who was posing as him? Who could have such skill as to commit double murder, hide it and impersonate the younger for seven years before finally giving it up?"

Inuyasha cracked his knuckles absently. "That's all gruesome and disgusting, but what does it have to do with us?"

"Patience, Yash." Miroku wagged a finger at him. "I'm getting to it." He straightened his back. "The thing is, when the real Kagewaki's body was found, the investigators couldn't find anything pointing to the murderer except for the work he'd been doing for the past few years. When they looked through the research, the man- supposing it had been a man and not a woman, had been doing, they found little to nothing."

"The guy took at the information with him?"

Kagome made a face. "Just like a parasite. Took everything from his host before leaving."

"True. However, there was one sheet of paper that the police did find. It was small and almost not worth the attention, but guess what was written on it?"

The half-demon shrugged. "What, 'Shikon no Tama'?"

"Exactly."

The word was met with silence. The three looked at each other with a slight unease before Kagome voiced what everybody was thinking: "This person went through all of that just to find one jewel? He killed and…" She drifted off, shaking her head.

"It's sick but true. I said that the jewel was a powerful motivator for humans and demons. It's not known if this guy is a demon or a human, but not a lot of people should know about the Shikon no Tama. Its legend died out a few centuries ago. Even the police were stumped until somebody came up with the information on the thing."

Something jogged in Inuyasha's memory and he frowned, trying to find that elusive train of thought. "Just how many people actually know about the jewel?"

Miroku scratched his head. "Well, this case isn't taking the front page of the newspapers because there haven't been any new discoveries. I'd think that, apart from the police force, Sango and us, nobody should know about this thing. The thing sort of faded away from the minds of people."

"But if that's true…" The half-demon's frown deepened. "What does the jewel look like, again?"

Kagome answered, "It was a pinkish lavender or a dark violet- depending on its purity."

"And it was a marble?"

"Yes."

Inuyasha sucked in a breath of air. "I remember something- I don't know why I didn't before, but now it's…"

"What?" Miroku stared at him.

"Just a few days after I moved in, this guy came and asked me for a… marble or something." He frowned. "He said that he'd lost it on my property and that he'd had an agreement with my mother's parents that if it was found, it would be returned to him." Inuyasha shook his head. "He said it wasn't worth a lot of money, but had a lot of importance to him…"

"Was he talking about the jewel?" Kagome sat up, suddenly attentive.

"He didn't mention the name, but the description… an exact match, I think."

Miroku's grip tightened on his staff again. "What did he look like?"

"I don't know… black hair- long black hair, tied back. He looked kind of girlish. Red- no, brown eyes."

"Red?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "I thought he'd had red eyes, but they were brown. He was really weird and creepy."

"This coming from you…" Miroku sighed. "Did you get his name?"

"He told me, but I don't remember. I wanted to get away from the guy as soon as I could." Inuyasha scowled at the exasperated look on the monk's face. "It was N- something. I don't know."

"Not Kagewaki?"

"No, definitely N-something. He did give me his phone number-"

Miroku hopped to his feet. "He did?"

"-but I tossed it."

The man slumped back down to the ground. "Great. You gave away our lead."

"What lead? You're making it sound as if we're detectives or something." He shook his head. "This murder doesn't concern us right now. We don't even have proof that this guy was even close to finding the jewel."

Kagome shook her head in agreement with the hanyou. "Forget about this mysterious visitor. We're just going to have to be more careful now. With the guy, the murderer and Kagura trying to get the jewel, it's going to be a lot more dangerous."

Miroku raised an eyebrow. "Yes, about this Kagura, explain. She attacked you?"

The miko stretched out and stood up, deciding to hover a few feet above the ground. Inuyasha snorted at the surprised expression on his friend's face.

"Two days ago, a wind demon by the name of Kagura blew herself into the garden." Kagome began the explanation. "She and Inuyasha exchanged a few insults before she demanded the Shikon no Tama." She scowled. "One thing lead to another, and he drew Tetsusaiga against her. She threw her wind blades around with her fan and could control twisters as well. Inuyasha got beaten up-"

"Hey!"

Innocent cerulean eyes turned to him. "But you were."

"I was not beaten up by a girl."

"You were too."

"Was not."

"Were too."

"Were too". Inuyasha attempted the old trick.

"Were too."

"Damn!"

"Children! Children!" Miroku intercepted the bout. "Please! Whether Inuyasha was being beaten by a girl isn't important." He turned to Kagome. "Now, what happened after Inuyasha was whipped by Kagura?"

The hanyou protested, but was ignored. "I shot an arrow at Kagura-"

"And _missed_ her, I might add."

"- and she turned to me. I distracted her, and after a while, Inuyasha sent some sort of attack towards Kagura."

"What kind of attack?" Miroku turned to the half-demon. "What did you do?"

Inuyasha scowled and crossed his arms. "I closed by eyes and smelled something funny, so I cut it." He found dry gazes imposed on him. "What?"

"How… eloquent, Yash. Some more detail, please."

The hanyou sighed. "I could smell where her Youki was clashing with the wind, and so I cut across the rift." He turned thoughtful. "Come to think of it, I couldn't smell it before- that was probably because she was controlling the wind patterns and they hid her demonic energy."

"Perceptive."

"Right… and then after I cut it, an attack flew for her. I don't know really, what it was- sort of like blades of energy. It would have been a direct hit if it weren't for the swarm of bees."

"Bees?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "When the blades were going to hit her, these huge, demonic bees flew in her way and took up most of the attack. All the bees were wiped out, but Kagura was alive and she flew away on a feather. Kagome says she was half-naked, and-" He paused at the suddenly tortured look on Miroku's face. "What?"

"I missed a half-naked girl?"

He earned a blow to the head.

The half-demon turned to Kagome. "You believe me now when I say he's lecherous?"

She nodded without hesitation. "Anyway, you could only see her back. There was a spider mark there."

"A spider mark?" Miroku quickly recovered. "How big of a spider mark?"

The girl thought about it. "It didn't take up her entire back, but it was pretty big. It was on the centre of her back and maybe, about this size." Kagome made an approximation with her hands.

"A tattoo?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. We didn't bother to ask."

"Ah." The monk let out his breath and frowned in thought. "I remember reading about a Kagura once."

"And?"

He focused onto Inuyasha. "I was looking through my family scripts that Mushin kept in the temple," he turned to Kagome, "Mushin is a monk who took care of me when my father died. He is in charge of a Buddhist temple at the edge of the city." She nodded. "I found that, a few centuries ago- I don't know when, one of my ancestors encountered a powerful demon who went by the name of, Kagura."

"How long ago?" The half-demon continued, "If this is the same demon, then just how old is she?"

"I don't know. None of the scrolls were dated until the mid-eighteenth century." Miroku frowned. "But you have to remember that demons that existed long ago had far more powerful senses and abilities than the modern demon. The old youkai had lengthened lives- some say they were even immortal. Due to the development of technology, the modern demon is actually quite weak in comparison to the past ones."

"Whatever."

"And the same goes for human and their spirituality." Miroku looked over to Kagome. "You have immense spiritual powers- far more advanced than mine."

She half-shrugged.

"But moving on, I believe the note was from the feudal era," he inclined his head to the miko. "It described the demon, Kagura, as being a 'powerful sorceress with control over the four winds.' It said that she worked for an even more powerful master. My ancestor had a confrontation with her, and there was something about a curse, but the rest of the scroll was illegible."

"A curse?"

Miroku shrugged. "That was the last scroll kept for several decades, and the next one, I believe was written several decades after the scroll mentioning Kagura. It said something about a 'kazaana'- a curse laid upon every generation of my family line."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "A curse? So maybe you are cursed…"

"Kazaana? A wind tunnel?"

The monk shook his head. "That's all I could find. I tried looking for more information, but there wasn't any." A small smile broke his serious expression. "But I'm clearly not cursed with this 'kazaana', right? My ancestor probably found a way to lift it."

"Keh."

There was another lull in the conversation.

"It seems like we've hit a dead end," sighed Kagome.

Miroku nodded. "Seems like it."

"So what are we going to do, wait?" demanded Inuyasha. "Damn it, isn't there something we can do?"

The human turned and affixed him with a stare. "Well, there is one thing…"

"Which is?"

"But you're not going to like it."

Inuyasha cracked his knuckles impatiently. "What is it?"

Miroku carefully skirted around the subject, "For one, I could put some ofuda spells around the garden to prevent lower levelled demons from breaking in, which shouldn't be too much of a problem." He looked at Kagome. "Do you know where the jewel is?"

Her expression was blank. "No. I've never bothered to look. For all I know, it could be destroyed."

"Okay, then. I'll just put some spells over the entrance at each corner of the wall. That should be sufficient. So you can be sure that the garden will be protected."

Inuyasha nodded slowly. "And…?"

"And I'll try to call Sango." Miroku shuddered slightly. "Hopefully, she'll be calmer and won't think of taking my head," he flinched, "but I'll find some way to get her to come here."

"Better you than me."

The man cast Inuyasha a dry look. "Thanks so much, but that's not all. Kagome-sama will be here, of course. I will be risking my life to lure my girlfriend here, and you will be…"

"I will be…?"

Miroku hid a smile. "You, Inuyasha, will be talking to your brother."

As expected, the response wasn't a pleased one.

"What?!" Inuyasha flew to his feet, towering over his serene friend. "What did you say?"

"You will be talking to your brother," was the calm repetition.

Golden eyes burned at the man. "And why the hell would I do that?"

"Because… Sesshoumaru could have valuable information." Miroku stood up as well, and in doing this, he stood an inch or two taller than the half-demon. "One, he'll probably know more about Tetsusaiga than you do. Two, he's had correspondence with Kagewaki. Three, he might know something about the Shikon no Tama, and four, he is the Lord of the Western Lands."

"… what?" Inuyasha's anger was diminished by his shock. "Lord of…?!"

Miroku jingled his staff. "I asked Sango before she threw me out, about the demon political rankings. She told me that in the past, these were extremely important and the Lord of a specific land or area was in charge of their subjects. They maintained the peace among the lands and created alliances with other Lords. There were wars." Miroku shrugged. "I don't really remember much."

"I do."

The men turned to Kagome. "What?"

She looked at them coolly. "I remember hearing something about the demons lords from a passing traveller in our village. He said that the demon lords were mostly wanderers, patrolling their lands and making sure that everything was functioning. They held their rank over the lower levelled demons that were expected to pay respect to the Lord of the area. It's passed on through bloodline."

Miroku nodded slowly. "And I think Sango said that the title Lord of the Western Lands has always been in your family-"

"And why didn't she tell me?" Inuyasha demanded, "She hung out with us how many times, and she never mentioned it?"

The monk shrugged. "Well, really, it doesn't hold much importance anymore. All it is, is a title. It's just that as long as the current Lord is in control, he can keep the peace among the demons, and stop them from revolting. Besides, technically, you aren't the Lord. You have 'royal' blood, but the firstborn is the true Lord."

"Damn." Inuyasha scowled and crossed his arms. "Sesshoumaru?"

"Yeah."

He glowered for a while before picking up the topic again. "But still, why do I have to talk to him? Why can't you do it?"

Miroku sighed. "I could come _with_ you, but I doubt that your brother would want to listen to such a lowly human as I." He shook his head. "You, at least, he might listen to. He may be a little petty-"

The hanyou snorted "A little?"

"-but he does know it when something is important."

Inuyasha thought about it for a few seconds before expressing his opinion with a solid answer.

"No."

"What?"

"I said, no. I'm not going to Sesshoumaru for information."

Miroku let out a frustrated breath slowly, trying to calm his nerves. "And why not?"

"Because I don't want to-" Inuyasha was interrupted by a person who suddenly appeared in front of him.

"You are going, and that's that." Kagome glared at him. "You've been whining about not having something to do for the past days, and now you have a job. You are going to speak to your brother. You are going to forget this stupid dislike you have, and you are going to be civil to him."

Eyes wide, Inuyasha was muted by her sudden show of authority and only nodded dumbly.

Grinning and genial once more, the girl turned around to face a surprised Miroku. "It just took some persuasion."

The monk nodded and cracked a smile. "Well, it looks like somebody's finally training the dog."

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Inuyasha snapped out of his stupor and glared at the monk. "Are you calling me a pet?"

Kagome floated past him and casually uttered a single word, "Sit."

The hanyou flinched, sending her spiralling into a bout of giggles.

Miroku raised an eyebrow. "What-"

"Never mind." He wasn't keen on the man knowing about what had happened. If he knew, than he would never hear the end of it. "Fine, I'll see the bastard…" he caught Kagome's look. "… er… my half-brother." Golden eyes sharpened onto Miroku. "But you're coming with me."

The man shrugged. "As long as you do the talking." A corner of his mouth lifted.

Inuyasha glowered at the smirking man and laughing spirit.

They were teaming up against him.

He knew it'd been a bad idea.

But it was too late now.

* * *

Review Responses:

-- hanyou elf  
Yup. Isn't Miroku just a charmer? Fluff… I'll try. Not a big romance writer (yet?), but I'll sure as hell try… but not so much that it'd send you to the dentist. . She sits him whenever she wants to. It's not rosary, but her powers that's making him go splat. The 'psychic' powers. So, whenever she wants him to 'sit', he, well, sits. =)

-- Fiery Demon Fox  
Lovers? Why would you assume that? ::innocent grin:: Amazing, isn't it? Just two mentions of 'Kouga' and you've made a guess… whether it's right or not… will be revealed later. =)

-- WhiteDloud  
Love or loved or will love… it's all too confusing, right? But as I said to Fiery Demon Fox, more will be revealed later! XD

-- Sarcasm Girl8  
'Ja', I suppose, is short for 'Ja ne'(or is 'Ja ne' an extended 'Ja'?), which is like 'See you later.' =)

-- Izayoi  
So true. No physical body = no groping. But Miroku always find _some_ way to be the lovable lech, no?

-- AngelMiko289  
Kouga isn't _technically_ in the story as of yet. There hasn't been any mention of him and Kagome being in love… yet. (did I just spill something there?)

-- Mental Monkey  
Was your question answered in the chapter? If not, then, Miroku is Miroku, and whether they're best friends or not, his habits around unknown girls are questionable when Sango's not around. You could say he's trying to curb his 'curse', but habits are hard to break, right? Besides, people of the male gender tend to be a little less trustful with their male buddies on such topics- a stereotype, but oh well.   
Inuyasha's shoes? They were near the entrance, right? And during that battle of 'epic proportions' (-.-;;), they could easily have been sliced apart by a random wind blade or the Kaze no Kizu.  
Sango's acting weird for a reason, and no, she's not evil. Neither is Miroku. =D  
Kouga is in the story because… I didn't want to create an original character. Simple as that. But don't worry… everything'll work out in the end, but until then, I'd better watch out for homicidal readers… =)

.

Many thanks to: 

sapphire pink (Doesn't he always?)

November Dusk

Ryngrl5 (Now what would make you say that…? ; ))

Kagome Sengoku 

CJ-Chan

Samieko (Strawberries are good…)

darkscorpio28

remix69-er (I hesitate to ask about your penname… -.-;;)

bubbles

Poison Death Tree

LadyAkina

* * *

Translations:

Goshinboku – god tree (didn't I do that one already?)

Houshi – low levelled monk

Kazaana – 'air rip' translated as 'Wind Tunnel' in the dubbed English version of the anime

Ofuda – a charm, seen as strips of paper with spells (scribbles…) written on them

* * *

[Edit: I noticed that I spelled 'Mushin' as 'Munshin' in the previous chapter. I would change it, only it's too much of a hassle. I'll correct it and comb through the entire story eventually, but right now, I'll look to finishing it first, ne?

Horrible trouble picking out a title. Next chapter will be later than usual, what with the piano and theory examinations. It shouldn't be too late- maybe two weeks' worth of a wait? This chapter was a little choppy. I'm anxious right now. Sorry about the slight lateness- I actually had this chappie typed up yesterday, but couldn't get online (dial-up: -.-;;) long enough to post it. The beginning was not as good as I wanted it, but it'll do.

I noticed that many of your are extremely perceptive… picking up on just two appearances of the name 'Kouga'. Bravo!

By the way, I've started another story (oh no!) since I have passed the halfway point for this one. 'The Hunt' and File 1 should be out soon (in a few minutes). Less frequent updates for that one though.

Till next time…

Ja!]


	12. In the City Pt1

Disclaimer: … Please refer to chapters 1 through 11 for various disclaimers. Thank you.

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

.

-- Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

{Inuyasha glowered at the smirking man and laughing spirit.

They were teaming up against him.

He knew it'd been a bad idea.

But it was too late now.}

.

****

Chapter TWELVE:

In the City- Pt.1

.

"What do you mean you don't have a phone?" Miroku gaped at his friend. "How have you been keeping in contact with people?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "I haven't. I do have a phone- several that were leftover from the previous owners, but the service has long been cut off."

The two were hanging around the kitchen where they had just cleared out the rest of Inuyasha's ramen supply. It was late in the morning and they were planning the trip into the city that had been expected ever since that afternoon in the garden the previous day.

After the decision yesterday, the three in the garden had continued to talk, and Kagome had filled Miroku in on the details of her coming into her duty of protecting the jewel. Some of the story had been new to Inuyasha as well, since he had fallen asleep somewhere near the end.

Now, it was time to leave for the city.

The monk sighed. "So let me see here. You've got no cable. No telephone service. No newspaper delivery. No means of contacting the outside world at all?"

"That's not true… I've got my laptop and my internet still works." The half-demon shrugged again. "Besides, it's not like I've got many friends I have to keep up with." A grim smile spread over his face. "Most people prefer to avoid the dirty little hanyou."

Miroku shook his head. "Just ignore those people. But you're lucky I'm here…" From within a pocket, the man drew out a small black cell phone. "I just got it. Photography, text messaging- I saved up for a long time to get it. I could have chosen a flip up, but decided against it."

The half-demon frowned, leaning against the counter. "Why would you need text messaging on a phone? Wouldn't talking be much faster?"

"In case you don't want to talk?" He looked slightly puzzled. "I don't know. Maybe to leave a message or something." He waved it off. "The point it, I have a phone, so we can get to calling a cab to pick us up." Miroku closed his eyes with an almost pained expression. "And I can't believe you don't have a car either."

"I never needed one," Inuyasha pointed out, "We used to walk everywhere, and it's not like I need one now either."

"Well, with what's been going on, I think you may need one soon. You live miles out of the city, and it really would be better to get some means of personal transportation. A cab won't always be ready in an instant. Besides, it's not like you can't afford one." Miroku looked at the half-demon. "So what's the phone number again?"

Inuyasha pointed out a small piece of paper stuck onto the large refrigerator. "Over there. Wrote it down so I don't have to remember."

"Ah." The monk walked over and promptly dialed the number. After a few seconds of silence, he began to speak. "Yes, I would like a taxi please? To where?" He paused and looked at Inuyasha. A hand over the speaker, he whispered, "What's your address?"

The hanyou shrugged. "Just say 'the Hana Mansion'. They should know where it is."

Giving him a puzzled look, Miroku turned back to the phone. "It's the Hana Mansion just outside of Kyoto… do you know where that is? Yes? Okay then. We're headed into the city. Which one? Kyoto. Right now." He pushed a button and looked at the half-demon. "They'll be here in fifteen minutes. The 'Hana Mansion'? How do these people know where that is?"

"There aren't that many mansions out here, and 'Hana' was my mother's family name before she married my father. There really isn't a good way to give this place an address." He scratched his head. "It's also kind of well known because of the legend… the one I told you. Besides, it's kind of fitting, isn't it?"

Miroku thought about it. "'Hana'- flower mansion. I guess." He pocketed his cell phone, clapping his hands together. "So what are we doing today?"

"Sesshoumaru, food shopping, and picking up Sango- though not necessarily in that order." The half-demon frowned. "You _have_ called Sango, right?"

"I'll call her when we're in the city." Catching Inuyasha's sceptical look, he raised his hands. "Trust me. It'd be much better to keep her from waiting too long. Besides, I've got a few items to add to your list. One, we're getting some phone service here. Two, we're getting you a cell phone. Three, we're going to look at some cars."

"And I'm guessing we're going to be using my money for this?"

Miroku grinned. "Yup. Besides, you're the one benefiting from it."

The hanyou crossed his arms. "Okay… telephone I get, but cell phone?"

"In case we have to reach you and you're not home."

"I'll always be home."

The man shook his head. "Don't count on that. What if you were somewhere and we needed to reach you fast? Better not to take chances. Dangerous things are mixed up here."

"Whatever." Inuyasha shrugged. "The car?"

Miroku raised an eyebrow. "Yash, you can't live this far from civilisation and not own a car. Trust me. You need one. Besides, if you have to get a cab for every trip in town, think about the high chances that your driver's going to be that one you hate."

"Point noted."

"Thank you." Miroku walked back to the fridge and opened it. He shook his head at the bareness of it. "And another thing, ramen is not going to be the only thing we're getting."

Inuyasha frowned. "And why the hell not?"

"Because it's not healthy enough. You need more variety." The human closed the refrigerator door. "Trust me. You can't live on just instant noodles and not get sick. Come on, Inuyasha. Vegetables. Fruits. Meats. Something from the four food groups."

"What- you mean like vegetable flavoured ramen?"

Miroku was half-inclined to laugh, but at the completely serious look on his friend's face, the laughter died in his throat. "You're joking, right?"

"…Why would I?" The half-demon cocked an eyebrow.

The violet-eyed one sighed. "We're picking Sango up before we go shopping. She knows how to do things like this." Suddenly, a loud gong-like ring reverberated throughout the kitchen. "Sounds like our cab's here."

Inuyasha removed his hands from over his ears. "Shit, man. I need to tone that thing down sometime." He led the way through the hall. "Oi, Miroku."

"Yeah?"

"The garden's protected, right?"

"The ofuda spells are in place. No youkai should be able to penetrate through the barrier." He chuckled. "I doubt even you could."

"Keh… I hope you're right." Inuyasha shot Miroku a look. "I don't want to get back and find everything destroyed." They passed through the shouji doors to enter the entrance area.

"If anything did get through, I'm sure Kagome-sama would be able to take care of it." He smiled serenely. "Trust me on this."

The half-demon sighed. "Yeah. I guess I have to."

At this admission, the human raised an eyebrow. "That's the first time you've ever said that, Yash. I do believe you're coming out of that shell of yours."

He grunted.

Pushing back the main entrance doors, the two men were greeted by a cloudy day and the face of their cab driver. To Inuyasha's relief, it wasn't that annoying Hono, but another person who seemed to be less talkative than the other guy. This cabby was more muscled and his fingernails were slightly unnerving at their sharpness. His hair had been cut short and his yellow eyes gleamed.

"You guys called for a cab?" The driver's voice was deep and grunting. His eyes bored into Inuyasha's, and he could tell that there was some disgust in having to drive a halfling.

Sniffing the air, the hanyou found that he was actually a demon, though what kind, he couldn't tell. The demon's scent was too heavily covered in the smells of engine oil and some weird sort of cologne. He nodded and the man motioned for them to follow him. Inuyasha allowed Miroku ahead of him before sliding shut the door.

"And that's another thing." The hanyou turned to Miroku, who continued. "We're getting some kind of lock for this house."

"Why?"

The monk raised an eyebrow. "I don't know about you, but with what we're dealing with, I wouldn't feel secure sleeping in a house that's not locked."

"Keh." Inuyasha shrugged, but privately, he did agree.

As the two of them followed the cabby to his taxi, the hanyou gave a half uneasy at his house. Tetsusaiga and Miroku's staff had been placed carefully in the garden and was under Kagome's protection, but he still worried about somebody breaking in. While there wouldn't be much to take, there were some things that could appear as some value to thieves. Particularly things that were in the central chamber.

The hanyou froze. The scriptures! What if something happened to them…?

"Inuyasha? Are you going to get in or what?"

Shaking the thoughts away, the half-demon climbed into the backseat of the cab without complaint. He had to stop worrying about it. It wasn't likely that his house would be robbed if it hadn't been for the past decade or so. "So where are we going first?"

The monk, who had taken the front seat, looked back at the slightly preoccupied hanyou. "First, we're going to see your- uhh… Maru. We're visiting Maru first." He turned to the cab. "If you could just drop us off at the intersection of Horikawa Street and Marutamachi Street, that would be great."

The cab driver grunted and pulled out of the low gates surrounding the estate.

It been pre-agreed that there would be no mention of Sesshoumaru being Inuyasha's brother for the pure sake of security. There was no telling who could be listening in on them. Knowing that the hanyou was one with connections to the Mamoru Corporation could spurn some people to act rashly. That was also the reason why they were being dropped off at an intersection rather than in front of the business building.

To Miroku's surprise, Inuyasha hadn't given much argument towards having to see his brother first thing on the list. "Whatever."

The monk looked back. "Something bothering you?"

He gave a half-hearted shrug. "I just have this feeling…" Inuyasha didn't continue, not entirely trusting the look of their cab driver. "I don't know."

The rest of the drive was spent in a silence, none of the men to eager to break it. The hanyou stared listlessly out of the window. The scenery flashed past as a series of rolling hills. There was just this foreboding feeling growing inside of him, as if something was going to go wrong.

He shook it off.

Probably meant nothing.

Inuyasha sighed. "How long is the drive going to be?"

Yellow eyes peered at him through the review mirror. "About an hour and fifty minutes if we keep at this speed."

The half-demon suppressed a groan. If he'd remembered how long the drive was going to be, he would have brought his MP3 player. Although the drive to the countryside had been unbearable because of Hono's constant talking, complete silence wasn't much better.

Inuyasha checked his wallet to make sure he had the money to pay for the ride. He let out a deep breath. Maybe Miroku was right about getting a car… after all, there wasn't much sense in having a driver's licence if he wasn't going to use it.

Up front, the human attempted to switch on the radio, but a clawed hand barred his access. "Music hurts my ears. Sorry." The cabby didn't sound sorry at all.

Miroku retreated into his seat. "It's… okay." Looking back, he rolled his eyes discretely.

The hanyou sighed.

It was going to be a very long drive.

* * *

An hour and forty-five minutes later, Inuyasha was almost wishing that Houjo had been the driver- at least then, it wouldn't be this complete silence. Looking up front, he discovered that Miroku had fallen asleep.

The hanyou sighed for what had to be the hundredth time.

That's what he would have done if he didn't have demon blood, which prevented him from feeling the least bit drowsy- sleep.

For the past drive, the half-demon had taken up his time by staring out of his window and watching the countryside slowly transform into the city. He'd even counted each and every tree that had passed his window and discovered there to be at least five hundred of them from Kyoto to his house.

He'd lost count somewhere near five hundred and sixty-seven.

When they'd entered the urban area, he'd busied himself with studying the people and keeping up a running commentary of them in his head just to keep himself from going crazy from boredome.

'...And it looks like that old hag is going to drop her groceries… and she does. That wimpy looking human helps her up… those people pick up her bags… and that kid runs off with her bread...'

Inuyasha sighed- a sound that seemed to be extremely loud in the quiet of the car. Outside, however, was a different story. There were people shouting, people talking, cars honking… a multitude of city noises.

Glancing at a street sign, the hanyou inwardly rejoiced. It was Marutamachi Street! Which meant the ride of torture was going to end very soon…

Just as the thought had passed his mind, the cab slowed and pulled over next to a rather well-known adult video rental store.

His stare turned dry.

So that was why they were being dropped off here…

The cab driver's low voice distracted him. "We're here."

Climbing out of the cab, Inuyasha opened the human's door and gave him a light kick in the side of the leg. "Oi, pervert. Didn't you hear him? We're here."

He didn't stir.

Sighing, the hanyou bent his head down. "Is that Namie Amuro over there?"

As expected, Miroku jolted awake. "Where? Where is she?" His head twisted to the right and left in search of the celebrity. "Where?"

Inuyasha dragged the man out of the car. "Sorry. Just a look alike."

The monk deflated. "Inuyasha. Don't trick me like that." He glared at the hanyou.

The hanyou rolled his eyes. "It's not my fault you wouldn't wake up. Besides, I've done that so many times, you should really know better by now."

Miroku's glare intensified. "Sure. Just tell that to me while I'm sleeping. The subconscious is a very mysterious thing, you know."

"And what the hell does that have to do with anything?" Inuyasha rounded the car and approached the driver's side of the car and bent down to look into the window. "How much is it?"

"Eleven thousand yen."

Shaking his head, the half-demon handed over the money without argument. He just wasn't in the mood for anything today.

Once he'd finished counting, the demon nodded and pulled away without so much as waiting for Inuyasha to move out of the way. Hopping to the left side of the road, the hanyou stepped back onto the sidewalk and frowned at the careless driver. Glaring at the demon through his windshield, he was about to yell, when something stopped him.

He blinked.

That… couldn't be right…

For a moment, he almost thought that the guy had changed… that his hair had suddenly lengthened…

But when he tried to take a closer look, the car had already driven far away, back up the road from where they came.

Baffled and slightly disquieted, Inuyasha frowned and stared after the retreating car before turning around. "Miroku? Where are…" he drifted off.

Breathing a sigh, the hanyou walked up to the display window of the video rental and grabbed the back of his friend's violet shirt. Yanking hard, he started to drag the protesting man down the street in the direction of Sesshoumaru's building.

"Hey! Inuyasha… Let go!" Miroku pulled in the other direction, but was no match for the half-demon's strength. "Seriously, this shirt wasn't cheap."

Letting his grip slacken, Inuyasha watched as the man stumbled forwards, nearly crashing face-first into a street lamp. Catching himself just in time, Miroku turned around and glared indignantly at the hanyou whilst straightening his shirt.

"I should have known why you wanted to be dropped off here." Inuyasha shook his head. "We don't have time for that. And you have a frickin' _girlfriend_. Let's get going."

The human shrugged. "It's been a while since I last went in. I was just… curious."

Inuyasha snorted. "Of course, 'curious'."

Two passing girls grinned at the sight of Miroku and waved. "Hey, Miroku-san. We've been missing you… where have you been?" The girls wore rather revealing clothes and heavy make-up. "Come with us… we'll show you a good time."

He grinned charmingly at them. "Hello, ladies-!" His expression abruptly changed as he was pulled backwards by an annoyed hanyou. "Bye!"

The girls appeared to be scandalised as they exchanged looks. White dog-ears twitched as they distinctly heard one of them whisper to the other, "Hanyou." His grip became harder as Inuaysha attempted to ignore the stares of passing humans and the scowls of the demons.

"Inuyasha! You can let go anytime now!"

He complied and continued to walk, not bothering to check back and see if Miroku was still with him. This was one of the reasons why he hated going into publicly populated places. The demons and humans alike picked him out as different, and he was always on the receiving side of snide remarks or looks. The thing was, it kind of confused him.

Sure, he could understand how the demons could tell from their enhanced senses, but the humans?

What was he, wearing some sort of a sign that nailed him as a half-demon?

Wearing an ugly scowl on his face, Inuyasha marched forwards, not noticing Miroku matching his stride to his right. The human caught sight of his friend's expression and sighed slightly.

He just couldn't understand how some people could be so prejudiced.

A hand on his shoulder startled Inuyasha out of his dark thoughts and turned to look at Miroku. He caught sight of the pity in the man's eyes and his frown doubled.

He didn't want pity.

Shaking off the hand, the half-demon increased his speed and didn't stop until he had reached the entrance of his brother's main building. Pushing one of the many doors, Inuyasha stepped inside, closing his eyes and taking in several deep breaths.

He had to calm down.

It was best to be relaxed when dealing with Sesshoumaru.

The door swung open again and Miroku patted the hanyou on the arm. "Ready?"

Inuyasha glanced at him and found that his friend was wearing a serious expression. Cooling off, he nodded once. "Yeah. I'm… I'm fine." He didn't understand why he was feeling so tense today.

The half-demon nodded and the two of them started towards the security point that everybody had to pass through in order to venture further into the building. Several security guards had been stationed beside the machines that checked the ID cards of the employees. Anybody who didn't pass the check was detained immediately.

Inuyasha eyed the guards.

His father hadn't taken any risks and neither did Sesshoumaru.

When they had nearly reached the checkpoint, Miroku hesitated beside him. "Are you sure they'll let us through?"

"No problem. Just stay quiet and let me take care of it."

Inuyasha strode forwards with an air of… -there was no other word for it- elegance, that Miroku rarely ever saw in the hanyou.

The nearest guard stopped them and took in the two men's casual appearance. "Your purpose?" The human's hand was positioned almost carelessly near the gun at his waist.

The half-demon was direct. "I'm here to see my brother."

"And your brother is…?"

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.

Either this guy had never seen Sesshoumaru, or he was _really_ dense.

"I'm here to meet with your boss."

The guard obviously didn't believe him as his expression became amused. In a voice one might use to humour a child who maintained the one plus one was three, the man replied to him, "And who might you be?"

Patience wearing thin, Inuyasha used his own version of the voice. "Put it together," he glanced at the nametag, "Kotoi. I'm Mamoru Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru's younger brother."

The security guard guffawed. "Right. And my father's the president of Japan. Nice try, buster. Now get out before I have to escort you out."

The hanyou sighed and crossed his arms. "I am serious and if you want to keep your damn position, you'd better fucking let me through."

"Do you have an appointment?" The man decided to continue to humour him. "Or do you have a pass I can see?"

"No…"

"Then I can't let you through." He sneered. "Now get outta here."

Inuyasha tried for another non-violent method- it wouldn't be good to start a fight here. "Is there a way I could get past without me having to crack your head open? Maybe you could get me a way I could contact Sesshoumaru?"

"That's Mamoru-sama to you, mister. And no, I can't." Kotoi's patience too, was growing thin. "So just get out of my face before I blow yours open."

Taking in a deep breath, Inuyasha sighed and turned to Miroku. "Gimme your cell phone."

"Why?" the monk blinked at him.

"Just give it."

Miroku complied and handed over the electronic device. The hanyou thought for a moment before punching in a phone number. The two humans present looked at him curiously.

Inuyasha tapped his foot against the ground and closed his eyes, waiting for somebody to pick up. On the second ring, a female voice sounded over the earpiece.

"Hello, this is Mamoru Corporations, you have reached the office of Mamoru Sesshoumaru, how may I be of service?"

"Rin?" The half-demon's eyebrow rose. This girl really was holding on to the position. "It's Inuyasha."

There was a slight pause. "Inuyasha-sama?"

"Just Inuyasha."

"Of course, and… how may I help you?"

"You can tell Sesshoumaru that I need to talk to him and that his dunce of a security guard won't let me through."

"Sesshoumaru-sama is in his office right now and his schedule is free for the rest of the afternoon." Rin's voice held a trace of laughter in it. "And which dunce is it?"

"Kotoi." Inuyasha didn't need to open his eyes to know that the man was growing nervous. "So can you do something about it?"

Rin paused. "Sure. Just a second…"

Suddenly, a buzz sounded and the hanyou opened his eyes to watch as Kotoi reached to his waist to retrieve a walkie-talkie. A bewildered expression on his face, the man pressed a button. "Kotoi here."

There was a slight noise of static before Rin's voice came across the speaker. "What is this I hear about keeping Sesshoumaru-sama's brother from his appointment?"

The man turned red and spluttered into the speaker, "But he said that he didn't have one… and he's a hanyou!"

"Well he does, so let him in. And show your respect as well. Treat him with the same honour you would Sesshoumaru-sama. I shouldn't have to tell you that. As for that bit about 'hanyou', I have nothing to say to you except that you'd better watch out for your position with Mamoru Corporations."

Wide-eyed, Kotoi stepped to the side and let the two men pass through. Miroku and Inuyasha both wore smirks.

Raising the cell phone back to his ear, the half-demon spoke into it. "That was great. Thanks." He liked this secretary. Rin seemed to like him while none of the previous holders of the position had given him the time of day.

"No problem. I'll tell Sesshoumaru-sama you're coming in…"

"Bye." Pressing the 'end' button, Inuyasha handed the cell phone back to his friend. "Rin's set a record for holding her position for the longest anybody has ever filled it. Sesshoumaru usually gets rid of his secretaries when they don't meet his demands."

Miroku accepted the phone with a smile. "How often have you gotten somebody fired here?"

"I don't know." The half-demon shrugged. "I remember my dad bringing me here when I was little and whenever somebody was really nasty to me, he'd let them go. You'd be surprised what some people would say to a five-year-old hanyou kid." He pressed the 'up' button for an elevator.

"I see." The human shook his head a little. "You'd think since demons and humans live together, there'd be less hostility."

Inuyasha made no comment as the lift dinged and they stepped into the brightly-lit compartment. Pressing the button, he leaned against the mirror-covered wall and stared at the passing numbers. Miroku settled in for a quiet ride.

"It's getting better, I guess."

The monk shot a surprised glance at his friend. "What?"

Golden eyes strayed his way. "It's not as bad as before. At least now, people don't disown their kids because they're not all demon. And there are laws that stop people from harming hanyou as well… not like before."

The corners of Miroku's mouth lifted slightly. "That's good."

"Mmn."

The situation had improved from the past, when it hadn't been uncommon for half-demons to be prohibited from attending a certain school because of their origin. It had been hell for Inuyasha, trying to get accepted into university, and in the end, it was because of his brother's influence that pulled him through.

Inuyasha sighed.

Sesshoumaru wasn't all that bad after all.

The elevator dinged, having reached the topper-most floor and the silver coloured doors slid open, revealing an almost empty hallway. This floor wasn't as occupied as the lower ones and there were very few offices here. Apart from Sesshoumaru (who had an entire section of the floor to himself), there were only three or four other executives who shared the rest of it.

Strolling through the hall, Miroku glanced around at the sophisticated area and let out a breath. "Hey, Yash?"

"Yeah?"

"Just how rich is your brother?"

Inuyasha gave him an amused glance. "Why?"

"Because if he pays well… I want to work for him."

The hanyou snorted. "What use would a monk be for a computer technology based business?" He pushed open a door that led into his brother's wing.

"I could purify the hardware before it's shipped?" Miroku shrugged. He looked around with wide eyes. "He sure has a lot of room to himself, doesn't he?"

The outer area was an extremely wide space with doorways leading to various branches of the wing.

Inuyasha coughed. "The stuff isn't made here. That's in a factory, and yes, he does."

They soon came up to another doorway, which lead to Sesshoumaru's inner offices. Twisting the doorknob, Inuyasha stepped into the smaller area and caught sight of the petit woman sitting at the secretary's desk.

"Rin."

She looked up and smiled kindly. "Inuyasha-sa… sorry, Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru-sama is waiting for you in his office."

Miroku walked up to the woman and held out his hand politely. "Hello Rin-san, I am Miroku. It's a pleasure to meet you." Perhaps he thought that flirting with his best friend's brother's secretary was imprudent, or maybe he'd finally grown out of his habits, but for once, the man didn't make a move on a pretty girl.

Her brown eyes held the spark of a young girl's playfulness and she nodded at him. "It's nice to meet you too, Miroku-san."

The introductions over with, Miroku walked over to join Inuyasha at the doorway of his brother's office. Inuyasha pushed open the door and walked into the roomy office with his friend on his tail. To his surprise, Sesshoumaru was actually sitting poised at his desk, attention already directed to the two people who had entered.

Even more surprising, were the first words that came out of his mouth. "I've been expecting you, Inuyasha." Not so much surprising was the comment than the fact that it wasn't spoken with a sneer or a derogatory tone of voice.

The younger brother blinked and sat down at one of the chairs in front of the desk. Miroku occupied the other. "What do you mean?"

Sesshoumaru took in a breath. "Considering the property you inherited and what's been happening recently, it was only a matter of time before you came." His gaze flickered over Miroku. He nodded at the monk. "You've already consulted your friend."

Inuyasha frowned. "Just how much do you know?"

The demon leaned forwards. "I know that the Shikon no Tama has not been destroyed. I know that it resides somewhere in that garden that you unlocked. I know that you are able to handle the Tetsusaiga. I know many things, little brother. I just don't know how." His gaze had settled on Inuyasha. "How did you break a five century year old seal put on the garden? Of course, I have my assumptions…"

This was another surprise- for Sesshoumaru to be asking his sibling something like this. He usually already possessed the knowledge.

Inuyasha crossed his arms. "How is it that you know these things?"

"I have my ways." A thin smirk flashed across his face.

The half-demon hesitated before answering the question- satisfying Sesshoumaru's curiosity could make getting his own questions answered more quickly. "I used Tetsusaiga to break the barrier and the key you gave me unlocked the doors."

"And…?"

"And I went in."

The elder brother frowned just the slightest bit. "What was inside?"

"Take a wild guess."

Sesshoumaru's eyes closed for a moment. "Just tell me, Inuyasha. Don't make this more painful than it has to be."

Inuyasha exchanged a look with Miroku. "Flowers. A hell of a lot of flowers and plants. I think there might be a small water source there and there's also a forest. I haven't gone too far in."

"And… is that all?"

"I also found the ghost."

The elder's eyes opened. "The ghost." He glanced at Miroku, as if to confirm it. "You are talking about the spirit of legend?"

"Yeah. Her name's Kagome."

"She's the miko who was the guardian of the Shikon no Tama." The human had finally decided to break his silence. "She died five hundred years ago in doing her duty."

He leaned back into his leather chair. "Of course. It would make sense." He did not see it necessary to elaborate.

"Just how much do you know, Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha demanded of the other, "And if you already know why we're here, then can you give us out answers already?"

"Patience, Inuyasha, patience." It was the elder's turn to taunt the younger. "I think I shall start with the matter of Tetsusaiga. Do you have it with you?"

"No."

A slight frown marred the usually stoical face of Sesshoumaru. "Is it protected?" There was a barely traceable note of urgency in his voice.

The hanyou frowned. "Yeah."

"How?"

Miroku responded to the question, "I placed ofuda spells around the garden where Inuyasha left the sword. Kagome's also protecting it."

"You are a… monk, are you not?" At his nod, Sesshoumaru moved on. "The spirit girl- how is she 'protecting' it?" It was almost shocking at the number of questions that the elder brother had. He was usually the one giving information- not the other way around.

"Her arrows can still purify." Inuyasha was itching to throw an insult at his brother, but for the sake of courtesy, he held his tongue.

"I see… but it's still not enough." He turned to the half-demon. "You have to carry it around on your person at all times from now on."

"Why the hell is that?"

"People are after your sword." Golden eyes clashed. "Do either of you know the history of the Tetsusaiga?"

Inuyasha shook his head negative, as did Miroku.

Sesshoumaru stood up and walked over to the bookshelf to his right. "'Tetsusaiga', 'Iron Cleaving Fang', is one in a pair of swords." He unlocked a drawer with a small silver key. "Both were forged from the fangs of one of the most powerful demons that ever existed." Opening the drawer, the demon picked up a long narrow item that was covered in cloth. "He was the first Lord of the Western Lands- a title I believe you only recently discovered ran through our father's bloodline, and therefore, he is out ancestor."

Closing the drawer, he resumed his position and placed the long object on the desk. The other two looked curiously at it but knew better than to hurry the demon with his story. "This demon's name was not recorded, but it is known that he had one of his servants- a swordsmith demon create a pair of katana from a pair of his fangs. The first was the sword of destruction, able to kill a hundred demons in one swing- the Tetsusaiga. The other…"

The elder brother carefully removed the cloth the reveal a sheath that appeared to be identical to the one that carried Tetsusaiga. "The other was a sword of healing, able to _save_ a hundred lives in one swing- the Tenseiga."

Inuyasha glanced that sword and immediately found it ironic that he had the one that could kill, while the ruthless Sesshoumaru had the one that could heal. His brother obviously read his expression correctly, for his next words were:

"Some years ago, I would have taken Tetsusaiga had it been given to me without complaint. Both swords are extremely valued and very rare. Either katana has its own set of abilities, that if a person could wield it correctly, would bring healing or destruction to the world. Of course, I place the higher value on Tetsusaiga and long ago, I even tried to claim it.

"There are criteria to wielding these swords, of course. One was that it could only be the ones who shared the blood of the one whose fang was the sword. That was obvious enough. However, in order to master the Tetsusaiga, one had to have compassion for humans as well."

Miroku shot Inuyasha a slightly amused glance.

"So I couldn't use the Tetsusaiga, but I don't need it anymore. You've come into your inheritance of the katana, and it will serve you alone until another worthy master arrives. The Tenseiga, on the other hand, is mine to use as I please."

The demon paused and studied the other two. "You may be wondering why I'm telling you all this." He drew Tenseiga and studied its smooth, straight blade for a while before sheathing it. "The fact of the matter is, that there are those out there who wish to possess such powerful artefacts. There are people who would do anything in order to command such power."

"You mean, somebody could try to steal it?" The uneasy feeling in the pit of Inuyasha's stomach made itself known again.: "But how many people could know about these things?"

"The same people who would know about the Shikon no Tama, little brother."

Miroku leaned forwards. "Excuse me for interrupting, but you wouldn't be talking about Kagewaki Hitomi, would you?"

Sesshoumaru studied the human silently. "No… I would be talking about the demon that murdered and impersonated Kagewaki Hitomi- a shape-shifter demon that is far older than many and more dangerous than most… he calls himself… Naraku Onigumo."

* * *

Review Responses

-- Fiery Fox Demon  
Alas… They haven't argued about anything… yet. It seems as though Inuyasha has grown up? Or perhaps he just needs the right… shove in that direction… =)

-- ever free  
Haunting aura? Freaked out? I… see? I never realised it was… haunting. Perhaps odd, but scary? Ooh boy… I wonder what's going to happen next…? XD

-- Mental Monkey  
Kagome never did know where the jewel is… if I ever mentioned otherwise, then it was accidental. -.-;; I think I'll proofread the story before moving on to the next chapter… (oh boy) I'm slightly confused here… do you like Kouga or not? (My brain has yet to awaken and process these facts for me.)

-- Kagome Sengoku  
Oh lala. Thanks so much! And for the possessed thing… did the end of this chapter clear that up (a little)?

-- Sarcasm Girl8  
I'm not Japanese, and if I were ever to actually try my hand at the language… those who are Japanese literate would clap their hands over their ears and shudder in fear. -.-;; The terms I do know, I picked up from reading fanfiction and from using online dictionaries. A complicated background? For what? The story? The characters?

-- Izayoi  
Well, not really a _lot_, (-.-;;), but you have to admit, he was being a little too childish… not to say that completely justifies Kagome's actions…

.

Many Thanks To: 

WhiteDloud (not yet, but soon…)

November Dusk

sapphire pink (not yet…)

hanyou-elf

Ryngrl5

AnimeAngelz

darkscorpio28

remixer-69er (Kagome will be back soon… I swear!)

bluedevil592

Angel-of-Darkness69

Poison Death Tree

* * *

[I said there'd be a delay, but it turns out I found time to write after all. This chapter (and the one to come) was more of an information chappie than anything. So, please bear with the slight boringness cause it's all leading to _something_ (dun dun duuun). I should also be able to gain control of the story's momentum again once I stop feeling so anxious about this exmination.

I have my practical piano exam _this afternoon,_ so… wish me luck?

I've done a rough plan on this story, and according to what I have planned, it should be from 18 and up chapters long with about 100 000 words in total. =) Because I actually have a really solid direction for SG now, I've put 'Lock Down' on hiatus. I'm concentrating solely on SG and the occasional oneshot for now, but once the story's done, I'll have more time to finish that.

Till next time…

Ja!]


	13. In the City Pt2

Disclaimer: Oh. The agony! The agony! I don't own Inuyasha! Gaaaah!

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

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-- Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

{"The same people who would know about the Shikon no Tama, little brother."

Miroku leaned forwards. "Excuse me for interrupting, but you wouldn't be talking about Kagewaki Hitomi, would you?"

Sesshoumaru studied the human silently. "No… I would be talking about the demon that murdered and impersonated Kagewaki Hitomi- a shape-shifter demon that is far older than many and more dangerous than most… he calls himself… Naraku Onigumo."}

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****

Chapter THIRTEEN:

In the City- Pt.2

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"That's it!" Inuyasha shot up from his seat, effectively startling both other people in the room. "Naraku Onigumo! That's the name of the guy I told you about!" He stared at Miroku.

The human frowned in confusion. "You mean the guy who asked about the Shikon no Tama?"

Inuyasha didn't bother to acknowledge him as he began to pace around the room. "It makes sense… he's looking for the jewel, and that's why he changed to looked like Kagewaki. He's a shape-shifter, so it'd be really easy… and…" the hanyou drifted off. "…and it doesn't make sense, does it?"

"Missing some pieces of the puzzle?" Sesshoumaru's smooth voice caused the younger to turn in his direction. "Perhaps if you allowed me to explain some more of the facts, your reasoning would be more conclusive."

The half-demon resumed his seat. "Shoot."

Raising a delicate eyebrow at his brother's choice of wording, Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and continued as though there hadn't been an interruption at all. "Naraku Onigumo. For one, it is not known whether that is his true name, or whether it is an alias. He has kept himself secret and very little is known about him. I do have the knowledge that Naraku is extremely old- far older than any person; human or demon, that exist today. I cannot supply you with the information of his creation-"

"Why not?" Inuyasha demanded, "It might tell us how to get rid of him."

The full-blooded demon let out a breath of annoyance. "How many times have I told you to be patient? I cannot tell you, because I do not know, halfling."

The hanyou glowered but remained silent.

"He has the ability to change his shape to seem like anybody or anything he chooses. In that aspect, it is also unknown what his true form is. In fact, 'he', could be a 'she', or it even be sexless. While this 'morphing' craft is shared by all shape-shifters, this one has a unique power." He paused and leaned backwards calmly. "He can absorb life forms."

"What?" Miroku froze slightly at the chilling glance from the demon. "I err… What do you mean he can 'absorb life forms'?"

"What does it sound like, human? Anything that has a soul is susceptible to being pulled in by Naraku, especially those that have youki."

Inuyasha frowned. "But why? Why would he want to absorb things?"

"Why? Because with each entity he takes in, his own power increases. The youki of each youkai is unique and provides the demon with their enhanced abilities. When Naraku absorbs these, he gains those abilities, and above that, can change his shape to match the victim exactly."

The hanyou muttered under his breath, "Well that can't be too good…"

"No, it can't, can it? Bravo for stating the obvious." Sesshoumaru drew in another long breath. Communicating with his brother was always so… tiring…

Miroku leaned forwards. "But how does he do it? How does he absorb life forms?"

The dog demon folded his hands. "It is an ability, human. How do I create poison from my fingers? How is my brother so idiotic? Not everything has an explanation, and if there is one, I do not have it."

The human cast an amused glance at his fuming friend. "At least we know he's really powerful, right? But if so, why does he want the Shikon no Tama? If he has the unlimited ability to consume power, what use does he have for the jewel of four souls?"

Sesshoumaru stood up, turning to look out of his office into the city below. "What do you know about the jewel?"

"It's an ancient relic over six centuries old with the power to enhance the powers of any human or demon." It was Miroku who answered. "It was created from the souls of a miko and hundreds of demons during the times when organised government had just failed in ancient Japan. The miko, Midoriko, had been battling them, and as a last resort, drew in their souls to form the Shikon no Tama, and in the jewel, they continue to fight. When an evil hearted person touches the jewel, the battle is tipped in the favour of the demons. When a pure hearted person holds it, it is purified."

The human paused for breath, determined to bring a piece of information that Sesshoumaru didn't know. "It was taken to a group of exterminators and kept there for little less than a century, and then brought to a miko in a distant village- Kikyou, to be protected there. However, the miko Kikyou proved not to be satisfactory and the delegates were about to leave the village when the elder, Akuba, the eldest of the representatives, saw another and deemed her pure enough to protect the jewel- Kagome… It was protected for about a decade before disaster struck, and the miko and the jewel together were lost for five centuries…" Miroku drifted off dramatically.

"You nearly put me to sleep with your story, human." Sesshoumaru turned around with a rather bored expression on his face. "All this, I know. In fact, there is more to the history of the Shikon no Tama that little others realise."

Miroku sighed. How much did this guy know? And he had wasted his breath explaining that…

"The jewel is over seven centuries years old, not only six. But if this is so, then what happened with the jewel for a full hundred years before it came to the exterminators' village?"

Inuyasha silently groaned. "How long is **this** story going to be?"

"You came to me for information, little brother." The demon fixed him with a cool glare. "I'm giving it to you freely, but if you don't want it, get out of my office."

He didn't move and merely grunted.

"The jewel of four souls was first discovered by demons that had felt its lure." Before Inuaysha could interrupt, Sesshoumaru held up a hand. "I will explain later- patience. They found it embedded within the chest cavity of the miko warrior, whose body had been turned to stone with the hundreds of demons she fought. The youkai found that the jewel greatly increased their power and soon began to war over the jewel. Destruction ravaged Japan as humans learned of it and its power as well, and set out to claim it.

"About half a century had passed in this condition and the lust for the Shikon no Tama had died down. Peace spread over the land and a human village had the jewel under its protection for quite some time. But then, something unusual happened." He paused.

Growing restless, Inuyasha shifted in his seat and checked his watch. They'd been talking for little less than an hour already.

Miroku leaned forwards, his eyebrows drawn together in thought. "What happened?"

"A foreign girl, from a place unrecorded, happened to cross paths with the jewel, and somehow, managed to break it."

The hanyou snorted. "How the hell did she manage that?"

"She had the powers of a priestess."

"Broke it? As in… how?" Miroku raised an eyebrow. "The Shikon no Tama can be broken?"

Sesshoumaru paced around his office. "All things can be broken, human. The jewel was split into hundreds- perhaps thousands of fragments: Shikon no Kakera. Demons and humans that stumbled across these fragments developed or enhanced their capabilities. However, they sought to expand and collect more of the fragments to gather even further reserves of power. Another slaughter began with the stronger killing the weak." He stopped, clearly tiring of explaining history to a human and a half-demon.

"Go on, Sesshoumaru. We're not leaving until you tell us everything you know." Inuyasha reclined into his chair, propping his feet up on his brother's desk.

The demon walked back to his chair. "How unfortunate." He closed his eyes, as if envisioning his words. "The girl who broke the jewel set out to collect its fragments and to put it back together, probably to rectify her mistake. It is at this point where our ancestry is drawn into this story, little brother."

The hanyou seemed surprised. "What?"

"A demon from direct lineage of the First Lord of the West met the human girl on her journey and learned of her purpose. He sought to preserve the peace in his lands, and because the girl could actually see the jewel shards when embedded within the users, they decided to work together- join forces, if you will." The demon frowned the slightest bit. "Although companions on a quest, the two were none too… compatible, but eventually, they learned to… work together. Soon, they even…" He drifted off with a slight look of disgust on his face.

"What- did they fall in love?" Miroku wore an amused expression.

Sesshoumaru's lip curled slightly. "To put it bluntly, yes, they did."

The human startled. "I was just kidding…"

Inuyasha sighed. "Alright, let's move on with the story. The sooner you finish, the sooner we can leave."

"My thoughts exactly." The dog demon sniffed discretely. "They gathered the shards and after a few years, had collected them all. The Shikon no Tama was restored, but for some reason, the girl vanished."

"Vanished?" The human frowned. "Vanished to where?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "If I knew that, then I would have told you."

"Then what did the demon do?" Inuyasha readjusted his chair's angle.

"He mated with somebody else, or we wouldn't exist." The elder brother eyed the younger's feet with distaste. "The rest of the litter had been killed. After the jewel was complete, he gave it to the exterminator's village and that is where your knowledge begins. The rest of your information is correct."

Miroku scratched his neck. "Okay then, now why does Naraku want it?"

The demon stayed silent for a while before answering. "The Shikon no Tama represents power. Absolute and infinite power. Youkai are drawn to it through their senses because it emits an alluring aura. Humans too, can feel its presence. However, in all its history, never has the jewel ever been used positively." Sesshoumaru sighed just in the slightest bit. "I do not believe in 'good' or 'evil'- that is a silly human belief, but it would seem most accurate to say that the Shikon no Tama has never been used for 'good'."

"So this Naraku guy wants the jewel to become more powerful?"

"That is my belief, yes."

"Well, that's cleared up." Inuyasha stretched his legs, trying not to lose his balance in the process. "What else did we come here for again?"

Miroku cocked his head to the side. "What- don't you know?"

The hanyou snapped his fingers. "Right. This Kagewaki guy. Why did he want to borrow resources from Mamoru Corp?"

Sesshoumaru leaned back and touched his fingertips together. "His reason was to maintain production and research. I disliked him. To be blunt, the demon's artificial human scent was so repulsive, I threw him out before considering the proposal. He had revealed himself to me as soon as he had entered my office and offered me the 'fruits of his labour'." His frown deepened. "To think that I would accept his support and partnership is an insult."

"Whoa, whoa… wait." Inuyasha frowned. "You mean he offered…"

"He suggested that the two companies merge, yes. Insolent fool."

"Right…" Inuyasha drew out the word. "And… about this 'Lord' thing. Why didn't you, or father, for that matter, why didn't you tell me?"

The demon drew in a breath. "It was unimportant."

"What the hell do you mean?" He replaced his feet on the floor and leaned forwards, his voice rising with his anger. "Just because I'm a 'little halfling' doesn't mean I didn't deserve the right to be told! What the fu--"

"Get a hold of yourself, Inuyasha." Golden eyes flashed in barely concealed anger. "The fact that your mother was human has **nothing** to do with why you weren't told. Do you think it would have made your childhood any more bearable if you knew? Think, brother, if you knew you had noble blood, but at the same time, were treated as you were by others- would that have helped you accept yourself anymore? Not many know about demon lordships in this modern world, not even demons. The knowledge has faded out of the minds of people."

Inuyasha thumped back into his chair. "You could have told me when I was older." His animosity had diminished and he was beginning to see what Sesshoumaru meant. Knowing who he was descended from would have made no difference in his life. "When were you going to?"

The dog demon let out a heavy breath, for the first time in Inuyasha's eyes, seeming weary. "I meant to tell you when you came into your inheritance, but it slipped my mind. Father… he died while you were on estranged terms"

Miroku stayed silent, sensing a deeper tension between the brothers. He gazed serenely out of the window, absently noting that the clouds had gathered and that it was about to rain.

"So is it important?" The hanyou's voice was reserved with slight guilt at the mention of his father. "The title, I mean. What do you do?"

"Is it important?" Sesshoumaru tilted his head back, feeling slightly relieved for some reason he couldn't identify. Perhaps it was because of Inuyasha's reaction because regardless of his mixed parentage, they _were_ brothers.

He continued speaking after a pause for contemplation. "Of course it's important, but nobody acknowledges it. As long as the title remains in our fathers' bloodline, Japan will continue to be peaceful because of the ancient bonding of the land. If the lordship were to shift to somebody else, however…"

The half-demon looked expectantly at him. "What?"

"Depending on that person's desire and will, this land could be thrown into a time of war and famine."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "So what if you kick the bucket?"

"Then it would move on to you and your heirs. If I were to have a descendent, then they would be Lord, no matter what age. Perhaps that's one positive aspect on it not being known to others- nobody will challenge for the title."

"Right."

A light silence entered the office. Inuyasha gazed at his hands, lost in thought. Sesshoumaru had his eyes closed and Miroku was still staring out of the window, having heard what had been said.

The seconds ticked by.

Exhaling deeply, the monk looked back "Well… we should be going now…" He checked his watch and discovered it to be almost four o'clock. "There's still a lot to do…"

"Yeah…" The half-demon shook his head as if shaking himself awake. "Right. We still have to do… a lot."

Sesshoumaru nodded once and to the surprise of the others, stood up. Taking a piece of paper from a pocket, the demon handed it over to Inuyasha. "My cell phone number is there. Do not lose it and do not give it to anybody else. I don't want desperate callers asking favours."

Once the hanyou had taken it, Sesshoumaru walked over to the door and opened it, ushering them out. "Call with progress on Naraku. I'm sure the police would love to have him in their grasps, but if you have to take extreme measures to protect yourselves, I have contacts that can sort any messes you get in to."

Miroku and Inuyasha filed out of the office. Just passing him, Inuyasha paused and without turning Sesshoumaru's way, cleared his throat softly and muttered, more than spoke: "Thanks… bro." Without missing a beat, the hanyou resumed following his friend out the door, throwing a greeting to Rin as he passed.

The dog demon stared straight forwards with the usual lack of expression, though it seemed lighter than before. Snapped out of his trance, Sesshoumaru glanced at the closed door and then into his office before stepping out of it, grabbing a jacket. Pausing in his stride, the demon quickly re-entered the office and retrieved the Tenseiga before leaving the room again.

"Rin."

The secretary looked up with wide, innocent eyes. "Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

He closed his office door and locked it. "Call Jaken and tell him I will be late in getting home."

"Yes, sir… and what shall the reason be?" She fixed her headset, adjusting the microphone.

"I will be around the city."

Nodding, the girl quickly punched in the number. As she spoke, Sesshoumaru gazed around the exterior portion of his office, waiting patiently.

"…Thank you, Jaken-sama. Bye." Rin glanced up and looked questioningly at her employer. "Is something wrong, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

The full-blooded demon glanced coolly at her but she didn't flinch, unperturbed by the gaze that would have sent his servant Jaken, a toad demon, into hysterics. "You have the rest of the day off."

The human blinked in curiosity and slowly removed her headset. "If you don't mind me asking, are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine." Sesshoumaru strode towards the exit. "I shall expect you in here tomorrow." He glanced back.

Rin smiled widely, startling the stoical demon a little. "Of course." She snapped her fingers as memory flashed. "Oh, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Yes?"

"A security guard was giving Inuyasha-sama trouble at the check point."

The demon sighed. "Which one?"

"Kotoi."

"I'll deal with him."

She was slightly unsure what to reply to this with and frowned the slightest bit before drawing up another cheerful grin. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

An eyebrow raised slightly at her almost grotesquely cheerful attitude, he could help but feel something strange. Unable to identify the feeling, Sesshoumaru shook it off and walked out of the room, the Tenseiga strapped securely to his waist.

"Good bye, Sesshoumaru-sama."

He waved a hand in response and was gone.

* * *

Meanwhile, Inuyasha and Miroku had reached the ground floor of the tall building and were walking towards the security checkpoint. The ride in the escalator had been silent as both of them digested the knowledge they'd been given. Though deep in thought, both noticed the jittery Kotoi who now avoided them as they passed. Exchanging amused expressions, Inuyasha intentionally drifted towards the man, who skittered away like a frightened spider.

The two friends passed through the large entranceway and walked through the front doors. Inuyasha glanced up and shook his head. "It's going to rain."

"Yeah." Miroku paused and glanced at the half-demon who seemed more composed than before. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

The hanyou shrugged half-heartedly. "I guess." He turned to look at the human. "Alright, I did my bit, now you have to call Sango."

The human sighed and sluggishly pulled out his cell phone. "Hopefully, she's calmed down by now…" Taking several deep breaths, Miroku quickly pushed in the number and held the device to his ear.

"Is she home?" Inuyasha looked at him curiously.

"It's ringing." Miroku checked his watch again. "She should be home by now."

Several seconds passed by before somebody finally picked up. The hanyou's enhanced hearing allowed him to distinguish most of the conversation.

"Hello?" Sango's familiar voice crackled over the connection.

"Hey, Sango! Guess who it is!" The monk's expression had brightened at her voice and he was clearly trying to go for a cheerful air.

There was a pause at the other end of the line. "Oh. It's you." The girl sounded flat. "What do you want? Your magazine?"

Miroku looked over at the half-demon and covered the speaker, whispering, "At least she doesn't sound too angry." To the phone, he spoke in a regular voice, "Come on, sweetie, that magazine wasn't mine! I picked it off a friend, and he didn't tell me about it!" He covered the speaker again. "I'm saving your ass here, Inuyasha." He went back to the phone. "What?"

"I said, what do you want? I'm still mad at you."

"Hey, come on. I'm sorry, and I have a surprise for you."

There was another pause as Sango contemplated whether the surprise would be a good one or a bad one. "A… surprise?"

Miroku winked at his friend and whispered, "Girls love to be surprised." He turned back. "Sure! In fact, Inuyasha and I are just in the city right now, and we're going to pick you up! Get packed"

"What did you say? Get packed?" There was another pause. "I don't know… Your surprises usually involve something perverted for someone." She paused again. "Put Inuyasha on."

The monk's face fell. "What?"

"Just put him on, Miroku."

"Why?"

"Miroku…"

Wearing a slightly pouting expression, he handed the phone over to the amused hanyou. Scoffing at Miroku, Inuyasha put the phone to his ear. "What do you want?"

Sango sighed. "It's the same Inuyasha alright. Nice to hear your sarcastic voice again. Listen, what is it that Miroku wants to show me?"

The half-demon gave the human a half glance before shrugging. "It's a surprise, but I don't think it's anything perverted. He's been behaving pretty well…" Inuyasha glared at his friend and covered the speaker. "This is the only time I'm covering for you." He turned back to the phone. "Hey, Sango?"

"Yeah?"

"You know that magazine?"

Sango hesitated, "…Yes…"

"Well… don't beat the pervert up over it. I gave it to him."

There was a slightly shocked pause. "So he was telling the truth?"

"Mmn."

"Oooh…" There was a hissed inhalation. "I see… I didn't know you like to… well… come on over then… I'll be getting ready…" She sounded more a little subdued as the line went dead.

Inuyasha threw the cell phone back to his friend. Miroku looked at him with what could only be described as grateful. "Hey, thanks man."

"Keh. We don't need Sango strangling the shit out of you when she sees you." Inuyasha crossed his arms. "And what was all this about 'packing'?"

The monk shrugged. "I thought that she could, you know, stay with us. After all… she may be… useful?"

"You don't _need_ to stay with me anymore. You can go back to your own damned house." The half-demon raised his head higher. "Sango forgave you already."

Miroku frowned. "Inuyasha, if you think we're going to leave you alone while you deal with this thing, you're completely wrong." He tapped his head. "Multiple minds are better than one."

"That might be true, but multiple minds get in my way." Inuyasha shook his head. "Alright, if you stay at the mansion, I don't see what need there is for Sango to be there too."

The human scratched his neck. "But… she might be able to help! And… well…" he drifted off and a sheepish expression stole over his face. "And…"

"And you miss her?"

Giving a slightly embarrassed nod, Miroku began walking through the streets. "Besides, Sango's a girl!"

"… I was aware of that." The hanyou raised an eyebrow. "What- did you just find that out?"

"Yash… Kagome-sama's a girl too. Females generally tell each other what they won't tell us males." Miroku nodded sagely. "Trust me. I'm an expert."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Sure."

The rest of the short walk was spent in silence as Miroku navigated the way through the busy streets of Kyoto. Soon, though it seemed longer to the two men, the pair had reached a moderately designed apartment building. Pushing aside the doors, Inuyasha ignored the stares from the occupants as his friend used his key to unlock the entrance.

Walking through the hallway, the hanyou took a casual note that although it wasn't overly luxurious, the apartment complex was rather stylish and comfortable looking- and that meant it didn't come cheap.

They walked into an elevator that was smaller than the one in his brother's business building and Miroku pushed the button for the penthouse level. Inuyasha was slightly curious about how a monk-in-training and a self-defence expert could afford this place but kept his mouth.

Miroku hummed absently, a tune that was a little familiar to the hanyou's mind.

"What is that song?"

The human looked over. "Huh?"

"What were you humming?"

He shrugged. "It think it's 'Change the World' by V6. Sango was singing it and it got stuck in my head. " The lift dinged as it reached the penthouse floor. "Alright. She didn't sound mad over the phone, and lets hope she doesn't kill me when she sees me."

"Yeah… Hope…" Inuyasha drifted off in what he hoped to be a foreboding tone of voice.

Miroku shot him a light glare and continued walking through the brightly-lit hallway. Coming to a door located at the end of the corridor, he took out his keys but hesitated before unlocking the door. Putting them away, the man chose to knock on the door instead.

"Coming!"

After a few seconds, the face of Sango, descendant of demon exterminators and somewhat of an exterminator herself, appeared. Dark brown hair pulled back in a pony-tail and dressed casually, the girl blinked at her nervous looking boyfriend.

"Miroku!" She stared at him for a few moments before smiling and flinging herself at him.

Almost flinching at the sudden movement, the man only just caught her in time and looked slightly bewildered at Sango. She never really acted this… abruptly in shows of affection. "Sango?"

"I'm sorry I doubted you…" her voice was muffled in his shirt, and was she…

"Sango… are you crying?" Miroku patted her back in a concerned manner. Among other things, the girl almost _never_ cried. "Are you feeling okay?"

Lifting her head, Sango gazed at the baffled boyfriend and sniffed. "I- I just got back from the doctor's office…"

Alarm bells ringing in his head, the man quickly pushed the both of them into the apartment, leaving the amused and confused Inuyasha to follow. "What? Why? What did he say?"

She looked at him with his concerned expression and shook her head. "It's not… _too_ serious. I'll tell you later." Hiccuping, the girl turned and spotted a bored looking hanyou staring up at the ceiling. "Inuyasha!"

Startling, the half-demon put up his hands as if to ward off a hug and nodded at the girl. "Hey." He sniffed and a curious expression came over his visage. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at Sango, giving her a meaningful expression.

A blink look stole across her face before it was replaced by panic. Shooting a quick glance at the violet-eyed man, who by this time, was walking towards the bedroom, she quickly waved both hands and motioned for him to keep quiet. "Nice to see you again… haven't really talkin since college, have we?" She gave a nervous chuckle.

The hanyou shrugged and plopped down on the nearest cushion-y chair in front of a TV. He shook his head while contemplating the shift in Sango's scent, silently laughing in his head. Eager to conceal his thoughts, Inuyasha flicked on the television before Miroku came back.

Suddenly, something small and cream coloured jumped onto his lap.

"Meow."

Glancing down, Inuyasha came eye to eye with a rather cute animal. It was a small demon cat with two tails and gleaming red eyes. Although in this form, she was rather harmless, when she transformed, it was another matter. Indeed, though she didn't show it, the kitty was far older than she seemed and had been born in the days when trees were the skyscrapers of the world.

The hanyou scratched behind the cat's ears and she emitted a soft purr. "Hey, Kirara. You know what's going on with Sango too, don't you?" Leaning back, he called back to the couple, "So you ready to leave yet?"

Sango had joined Miroku and was now looking at him strangely as he sifted through her clothes, throwing some things into a suitcase. "What are you doing?"

"Packing." The man looked at her and grinned. "Feeling better?"

She shrugged his question off. "And why are you packing?"

"Because we are leaving."

"And why are we leaving?"

"Because it's a surprise… Think of it like a holiday."

"How long are we going to be gone?"

"As long as necessary."

"What about our jobs?"

Miroku paused. "We'll use up our vacation days. We haven't used them yet, right?"

Sango stared at him flatly. "You're a monk in training. You don't have vacation days. You go around doing tasks for Mushin. You exorcise peoples' houses."

"I do much more than that, darling."

Tossing the last of Sango's belongings into the suitcase, Miroku promptly began trying to squash the thing shut while closing the zipper at the same time. Sighing, the girl walked over and quickly zipped it up while her boyfriend sat on it. Throwing the suitcase out of the room, Miroku drew out another one and began to pack _that_ with his things.

Starting to become frustrated that he wasn't paying attention to her, Sango frowned at him, and crossed her arms in a pout. When catching her reflection in the mirror, she blinked in surprise before deepening the frown.

"Are you really okay? You've been acting a little weird." The man's muffled voice came from within the closet.

Hell.

So what if she was acting weird?

She was damn well allowed to, what with what was going on…

"Mirookuuu!" Her voice came out a whine that startled even her. "How long are you going to take?"

He hurried over with the bulging piece of luggage, tossing that out of the room as well. "Sorry, darling Sango. It's just that we're in a bit of a hurry." Quickly embracing her, the man made a swift sweeping glance around the room. "You know what? I'll tell you in the car… when we get one."

Burrowing her head from his chest, Sango took the opportunity to steal a kiss from the man. He grinned against her mouth and quickly deepened the kiss. Just as things were moving beyond innocent, a shout broke them apart rather abruptly.

"Will you guys hurry up? We've still got a hell of a lot to do!"

Blinking in surprise, the two had clearly forgotten clear about Inuyasha and hurried out of the room. "Yeah, yeah." Miroku shot a glare at the lounging hanyou who was staring at them at an upside down angle, what with his head dangling from the back of the chair.

The humans sped around their apartment, throwing a few more important items into one bag or another and came to rest in the entrance area. "All done."

Inuyasha stared at the excess amount of luggage lined up in front of him. "I hope you realise that we're going to have to **carry** those things around Kyoto, and there is no way in hell I'm doing all the lugging."

Miroku scratched his head. "Can't we leave them here, and when we're done, come back for them?"

The hanyou continued to look sceptical. "We're not going to so much as need a cab than a truck." The kitty leapt from his hold and jumped to Sango, who was her current mistress, the descendent of ones she had served for a long time.

The man thumped his friend on the back while Sango looked on, softly stroking the demonic cat. "That's why we're buying you a car!"

Inuyasha sighed. "Correction: that's why you are going to look for a car that I am going to pay for."

"Now you've got it!" Swinging an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders, he steered them both towards the door. "Come on! We've still got to get the groceries! Now, Sango, while we're walking, we're going to tell you some pretty weird things…"

Kirara quickly bounded from the girl's arms and mewed softly at the doorway of the apartment.

Sango called back to it, "We'll be back soon, Kirara!" She closed the door just as Inuyasha was about to sneak back inside.

Miroku grabbed hold of Inuyasha's shirt and dragged him alongside him and Sango. "Oh no, Inuyasha. If we have to suffer, you have to suffer too."

Not bothering to protest, the half-demon checked his wallet and breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of his debit card.

He'd need it.

* * *

Several hours later, the sun was slowly lowering in the west and the door to Miroku's banged open. Three young adults walked in, looking more tired that when they had left.

"I am never going shopping with you men again." Sango collapsed into the sofa, hand positioned over her stomach. "Honestly, Inuyasha, how can you eat ramen day in and day out?" She caught the jumping cream coloured cat and stroked Kirara absently.

The hanyou shrugged, twirling his new car keys around a finger. "It's hard for me to get sick." Miroku walked past him. Spotting something on his upper back, he pulled the man back.

"What is it?"

Inuyasha pulled a piece of paper off of the human's back and stared at it with an eyebrow raised. "'Lilack's Future Husband?' Have you been walking around with this on your back?"

Miroku frowned and scratched his head, staring at the offending parchment. "I don't know anybody called Lila-" he stopped and his eyes grew wide. "Oh."

From the couch, Sango stared at him accusingly. "What have you been doing?"

He raised his hands. "Nothing! I swear, darling Sango, I haven't been doing anything."

"Then who's 'Lilack'?"

He chuckled nervously. "An ex."

She frowned and crossed her arms.

Miroku sat down next to her. "Come on, Sango. Don't get angry with me. She's just a friend now." He threw an arm around her.

Sango shook her head and sighed. "Right." She looked at Inuyasha. "I expect for your refrigerator to be packed with healthy foods from now on. I will not have you buying crates of ramen."

"Keh."

Miroku glanced at him wisely. "The woman's right."

"And you!" Sango moved back a little and pointed an accusatory finger at him. "Sake? You wanted to buy _sake_? Do you have any idea what that does to a b-" She cut herself short, earning an amused look from Inuyasha and a bemused one from Miroku.

Staring at his beloved, the man shrugged and sighed. "It was just a thought." He sprung up from the couch and began towards the kitchen. "Anybody want ice cold water?"

"Sure."

"Whatever."

There was the sound of rummaging in the kitchen and then running water. Inuyasha's ears flicked as a muffled thump sounded and a profanity echoed from the kitchen.

On the couch, Sango raised her head. "Need help?"

"N-no." Miroku's laugh sounded strange and choked. A string of curses were uttered from under his breath. "I'm fine. Just got a bump from the cupboard."

The man soon emerged from the doorway, bearing three glasses of water in his hands and a bump on his head. He quickly set them on the smooth table in between the seating area and the television and rubbed the abused noggin. Inuyasha took a glass and moved back to watch.

Worried, Sango removed his hand and gently prodded the area, drawing back when he hissed. "How does it feel?" Kirara landed softly onto the ground and stared curiously at the couple.

"Bruised."

Rubbing the area, she soon found a small but painful bump and made a sympathetic noise. "That doesn't look good." She leaned over some more so that Miroku's face was soon planted in a none-too-innocent place.

He rubbed.

She froze.

"Miroku!" Drawing back to the edge of the sofa, the red-faced woman glared at him. "Not now!"

The man grinned. "What if Inuyasha weren't in the room?"

She sighed and reached for one of the remaining two glasses. "You're feeling fine."

Inuyasha had watched the short episode with the usual amusement, but this time, there was some strange sense of… almost like a… _longing_ within him.

He brushed it off irritably, but it only sprung up at him from another corner of his mind.

It was almost as if something were _missing_…

He coughed, drawing the attention of the couple on the couch. "Let's go. The food won't last long in that heated car." He reached down and picked up a couple of the heavier suitcases as it they weighed little less than empty bags and waited near the door.

Sango and Miroku followed each grabbing hold of either remaining bag. Sango walked out first, quickly catching up to the hanyou with a fire cat at her heels But before the man closed the door to his apartment, he took one last sweeping glance around it.

Who knew when he was going to be back?

"What are you doing, Miroku? Come on and the hell over here! We can't hold the elevator forever, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, Yash. Coming." The human quickly shut the door, locking it and hurried to join his girl and best friend in the lift. "Goin' down." He quickly pressed the button for the basement floor.

The elevator was reasonably fast and in a matter of minutes, they had reached the parking lot. The trio plus a demonic cat squeezed out of the cramped space and quickly made their way towards Inuyasha's brand new car.

Though Miroku had insisted on something with a bit more class (in other words, something far more expensive), Inuyasha had beaten him down severely until he settled to buy a make that was less extravagant. Sango had stayed out of the argument entirely.

The hanyou pushed the automatic lock for his new Honda and popped open the trunk. A dark, dark blue, the car (automatic shift) wasn't the most expensive of cars, but it was good enough for Inuyasha, who probably wasn't going to use it much anyway. Throwing the luggage in and trying not to crush the groceries at the same time, some of the things ended up taking up space in the backseat where Sango and Kirara were staying for the ride.

Inuyasha hopped into the driver's seat and waited for Miroku to get in at the left. Although he had argued against getting one, the hanyou had to admit that he actually like the machine. Once everybody was reasonably comfortably seated, the hanyou quickly turned the ignition and began backing out of the parking space.

"Now, are you _sure_ you remember how to drive?" The man looked at him.

Scoffing, the hanyou threw him a dry look. "I got you guys here in one piece, didn't I?"

"Sure…" Miroku tightened his seat belt. Just in case.

Suddenly, the car accelerated so quickly that they were soon speeding out of the underground parking… _in reverse_.

The car screeched to a stop, jolting its passengers and startling several other drivers.

"Inuyasha! STOP IT!" The man yelled at his sniggering friend. "That was _not_ funny!"

"Mew." Kirara poked up her head from a space between the luggage.

Sango shook her head and held her stomach. "Inuyasha, go a little slower, will you?"

Suddenly remembering his friend's 'condition', the hanyou checked his speed and snorted. "Keh."

Soon the car pulled smoothly out of the underground area and onto the moderately crowded streets of the city. Still two hours from night-time, the sky was still covered in clouds and Miroku frowned as memory returned. "Wasn't it going to rain today?"

His girl peered out of the car window and shrugged. "That's what the weatherman said, but they can't always be right, right?" She turned to look forwards. "So, you guys were talking about the Shikon no Tama, weren't you?"

On the streets, careful to keep their voices low, the two had filled Sango in on the story thus far and she was extremely interested, and not the least in the spirit.

"Yeah." Miroku turned back to look at her. "We were hoping you might know something."

She shook her head negative. "You already know everything I do, and some more, even." Magenta eyes widened curiously. "How did Sesshoumaru know all this?"

"He has his resources." Inuyasha turned right. "Whatever he needs to know, he can find out. He knows a lot to begin with. And that reminds me…" The hanyou glanced at the review mirror. "Why didn't you ever tell me about the Lord of the West business?"

Sango gave him a casual look. "It never mattered. You're still my friend. Who cares whether you're nobility or not?" She hesitated before adding, "No offence, or anything, but you have the blood, but not the title."

"Whatever."

Miroku reached out to switch on the radio, but hesitated, glancing at his friend. "You don't mind, right? Your hearing?"

The hanyou shook his head.

The small car, filled with music, talking and friends moved along the streets. The scenery steadily changed from urban to rural and Sango more often than not commented on the beauty of the countryside. The time passed, and overall, the two-hour drive seemed a lot shorter than when they entered the city. Inuyasha found that on the empty road, he could easily exceed the speed limit and there were few, if any police patrolling officers located there.

Slowly, the sun sank red into the west.

Catching sight of this, Sango cocked her head to the side. "I thought a red sunset is supposed to mean dry weather?"

"Isn't that a red sunrise?" Miroku too, glanced out of his window. "I mean, doesn't a red sunrise mean dry weather?"

Inuyasha corrected him, "No… The rhyme goes something like, 'Red sun in the morning, sailors take warning. Red sun at night, sailors' delight…' and all that crap."

"But the storm clouds are still there and not a drop of rain has fallen." Miroku mused to himself. "That can't be good… almost like a sign."

Sango was in agreement. "Weather folklore is pretty correct, and that can't be right."

"Keh." Inuyasha blew it off. "It can't always be accurate. Probably just a coincidence or something. You're being too irrational."

Nevertheless a shiver ran down the hanyou's spine and he was faced with the sudden desire to reach home as quickly as he could.

Stepping on the accelerator, Inuyasha raced towards the mansion.

* * *

The time passed by quickly enough, and soon enough, the 'Hana Mansion' was within view.

Sango gasped as she realised that was where her friend lived. "Wow! You live there? It's so… archaic. It's really beautiful."

Inuyasha, however, was frowning as he spotted something wrong. The car passed the archway and he stared at the front entrance. "Hey Miroku…"

"What?"

"Didn't we close the door when we left?"

The human looked forwards and found that indeed, the shoujo door had been slid open all the way. "Well, it was probably the wind… or maybe Higurashi-san forgot to close it when he went in."

The hanyou shook his head, eyes never leaving the doorway. "The geezer may be senile, but he never leaves the door open." Quickly shifting the car into 'park', he sprung out and ran up the short steps to reach the entrance to his mansion.

He froze and a hand reached up as if to ward off a smell.

Soon, the two humans and Kirara had joined the half-demon and similar to Inuyasha, Kirara seemed to smell something strange- familiar to the fire kitty, and she mewed softly.

Sango and Miroku looked at him.

"What's up, Yash?"

He pointed through the doorway and they found all three entrances thrown open. There were the definite signs of a hurried entry, although it hadn't been forced.

He sniffed the air again and his eyes narrowed.

An ugly expression stole across his face and his fist tightened.

"I smell Kagura."

* * *

Review Responses:

-- Sarcasm Girl8  
Well… erm… not exactly. To be honest, I didn't think of half of these things when I started the story. They pop up along the way, you could say. But as long as I can keep note of them, everything should be _fine_. … -.-;; My Japanese vocabulary- well, not all from _this_ site. I used to seek out individual sites before testing my luck with A Jap-Eng dictionary? Those can be useful, but I just use an online one. Want the link?

-- Izayoi  
So true. And you'd think they'd be used to it by now… (the people used to hanyou). And… _did_ something happen? ::announcer-like voice:: : Find out next time, on… The Sealed Garden! (I love sugar highs).

-- humble-bumble  
Really? I'm glad you like it! Original… perhaps. Co-ordinating aspects from the series: definitely.

-- WhiteDloud  
That… may happen. No promises- just keep in mind that it _could_ happen (the punching Houjo-thing). There will be more Inu/Kag… some... some major twists, but everything should work out in the end.

-- ever free  
I see. Well, there will be many more scary things to come, I reckon. XD Ah. Garbage indeed. But it has been several days, and perhaps he threw it out in the kitchen or bathroom trash bin, where not many would be willing to stick their hands. Or… maybe he just doesn't want to go through the trouble? Suspenseful story, yes. What do you think's going to happen next? And… Casper- I mean, Kagome, the friendly ghost… is… kind of spooky, I guess.

-- November Dusk  
Don't we all hope? Sesshoumaru is pretty cool, no? There might be a couple more appearances- he's definitely going to show up in the ending chapter. Steal the Tetsusaiga? Well, he'd have to get through Kagome's dead bod- er… He'd have to get through Kagome first.

-- Mental Monkey  
I don't know if Kouga was the taxi driver, but if things go according to plan, he will show up pretty soon… say… next chapter? Or maybe the one after that? One of the two. Now that Miroku has Sango to keep him in check, it shouldn't be too bad, no? Yes, Inuyasha and Kagome are going to get together. And I really should have phrased that sentence better as: "At least 18 chapters in total." So… no worries right now.

-- ebony  
? I've never heard of it. Is it another fan-fiction site? Your eyes hurt, eh? Don't strain yourself… or you won't be able to read the rest of my story! (oh no!) … I'm kidding. There will be Inu/Kag in the story, and as for her metaphysical form… things will work out. I just finished my grade 10 piano examination, and whether I pass or not, I'm not taking any more lessons.

-- lady lilacks  
Don't worry. I don't want you to review if you feel pressured… just do it if you want to. How was that for a short cameo, eh? Just had the perfect opportunity. The story will be drawing to a steady close now… although some twists will be thrown in.

-- LuminescentWings0127  
That's an idea. I don't know… will Sesshoumaru use Tenseiga to heal Kagome? Perhaps. Will Inuyasha find Kagome's remains? Maybe. Kouga- well, you'll get the answer to whether he's alive or not in one of the following two chapters. Sesshoumaru does has a sort of elegant flair, no?

.

Many Thanks to: 

sapphire pink (Domo arrigatou for your support!)

remix-69er

bluedevil592

hanyou-elf (Indeed… many possibilities)

mlink

Kag of the Sengoku Forest

Flaming-Rosetta-Stone (Merci beaucoup pour ton encouragement. =))

Snowecat (I don't know… did they?) ;)

Fiery Demon Fox (::sigh:: Isn't he? =) And thanks for the support!)

darkscorpio (What went well?)

Samieko

* * *

Translations:

Sake - Alcohol

Shikon no Kakera - Shikon shards

* * *

[A blooper that I found rather…funny: {"I do not believe in 'good' or 'evil'- that is a silly human belief, but it would seem most accurate to say that the Shikon no Tama has never been used for '**food'**."- Sesshoumaru.}: Indeed, it hasn't.

I know, I know… Inuyasha drives a Honda. Blame me and my lack of car knowledge, that I didn't even include the model name. Let's just assume that it's classy enough for him, ne? And I'm assuming that in Japan, they drive Honda's like they do here in Toronto. (If you don't understand, let me tell you that Honda and Toyota cars dominate the city streets.)

As for the 'Future Husband of Lilacks' bit, I'm wondering which one of you can figure out where it came from? Take a guess!

Because all of you are so… patient, I've decided to give you the most likely title for the next chapter:

**Chapter FOURTEEN:**

**Naraku, Revealed**

Most likely title, but not set in stone.

Oh, and Kagome will be coming back in chapter 14. =)

Till next time…

Ja!]


	14. Naraku, Revealed

Disclaimer: A simple **no** will suffice for now. 

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

-- Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

{He pointed through the doorway and they found all three entrances thrown open. There were the definite signs of a hurried entry, although it hadn't been forced.

He sniffed the air again and his eyes narrowed.

An ugly expression stole across his face and his fist tightened.

"I smell Kagura."}

x-x

**Chapter FOURTEEN:**

**Naraku, Revealed**

x-x

Before the other two could respond, Inuyasha was gone, racing through the northern door to the central chamber. Shooting anxious glances at each other, the two humans hurried forwards to join him and found the hanyou standing stock still in the middle of the room.

They glanced around.

"Shit…" Miroku sucked in a breath at the sight of the room. "What happened here?"

Everything was in tatters.

It seemed as though a tornado had literally swept through the entire room.

The book and scroll collection had been completely destroyed, millions of ancient writings having gone completely to waste. The shelves lay one on top of each other, some broken up so that nothing but splinters remained. Torn pages and scraps of paper lay scattered on the ground.

The weapons gallery and training area had fared no better. Whatever or _whoever_ (and Inuyasha had a shrewd idea of who) had been here had wasted no time in destroying the place. The old blades were in horrible condition, some having been snapped cleanly in half. The bowstrings were cut and the arrows had been broken.

Sango glanced around, a chill running down her back and a morose expression on her face. "What a waste. This place… should have been so beautiful…"

"Who could have…" Miroku looked towards his friend who hadn't moved.

His eyes were slightly wide with shock and his fists were clenched so hard that his knuckles were white. He was staring straight ahead, north, into the shrine area. They couldn't quite make out the damage that had befallen the Shinto shrine and they were hesitant to try.

Slowly, his footsteps echoing in the noiseless room, the hanyou stepped forwards, eyebrows drawn in an angry frown. The humans followed behind, unsure what to do or say while the fire cat sniffed the air, red eyes narrowed in dislike.

The northern portion gradually came into view and they breathed a sigh of relief.

Nothing appeared to have happened to the shrine.

But there was a strange atmosphere about the area- a low humming pierced through the silence and there was a dark splatter on the ground just across from the line that separated the shrine floor from the rest of the house. Upon closer inspection, Inuyasha found that it was blood mixed with a strange substance.

A frown marred his face.

"What's up, Inuyasha?" Miroku didn't dare to speak louder than a whisper. "What is it?"

He stood up and fixed his friends with a stare. "It's blood and it carries Kagura's scent, but something's off. It's like her stink, but not exactly the same."

"Can't you tell if it's hers?" Sango gazed at him with a sympathetic air. "What can you get from it?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "You can't tell the sex of the person from the smell of blood- you have to taste it." An ugly expression stole across his face. "And there is no way in hell I'm tasting that."

The monk looked at him with a grave curiosity. "Well, what _can_ you tell?"

"I don't know." The hanyou shook his head. "There's poison mixed in the blood, and that destroys a lot of the scent markings."

Sango slowly stepped across the boundary and into the shrine. "It doesn't look too bad here." The others joined her, but something was bothering Kirara. "Kirara?" She turned back to look at her.

The cat demon stayed at the edge of the marked boundary and mewed at her mistress. Something was wrong and it prevented her from crossing. In experimentation, she placed a paw delicately over the line, but a sudden angry pulse caused the fire cat to draw it back with haste.

"She can't cross because she's a demon." Inuyasha looked at the cat, which was now licking the paw. "There's some sort of holy barrier on this place, and that's probably why it wasn't broken into."

Sango looked at him with curiosity written on her face. "But how do you…?"

"Human blood." Miroku answered her. "He's half and half."

The hanyou grunted and walked around the perimeter, inspecting the place. "Everything looks okay." He glanced out, towards the southern region and shook his head. "Fucking bastards." A grimace twisted his face. "What were they doing here?"

"It depends on what they were looking for."

Inuyasha and Sango glanced at Miroku. "What do you mean?"

The monk shook his head at the damage. "I don't think somebody would just come in here and destroy all that they could. They were looking for _something_ that was probably in this room." He bent down and looked at the dark blood splatter.

The half-demon stopped walking and inhaled a hissed breath, muttering to himself. "The scriptures. The scriptures… where are they?"

Not waiting to explain to the humans what he meant, Inuyasha rushed into the ruin of the library and tossed aside several bookshelves in search of the hole he had found so long ago.

"Shit… shit… Where…?" Before Sango and Miroku could join him, he had come out of the section, covered in dust and splinters. "They're gone."

"What are gone?" The girl raised her eyebrows. "What're you looking for?"

Miroku, however, had a clearer clue. "Those scraps of paper you found? And that journal?"

The half-demon nodded absently, eyes trained on something above the human's right shoulder. "The hell…?" Half in a trance, he walked forwards, approaching what appeared to be an empty frame on the wall of the shrine. "What the hell?"

There was a frame but nothing in it- just a black muddle of _something_. It was almost as if something had been melted to complete disfigurement.

The monk followed him and stopped at the wall. "Hey… wasn't this where that painting was?" He held out a hand, as if to touch the black space. "Of Kagome-sama?"

Inuyasha nodded dumbly. A clawed hand reached out a touched the mess, bringing back stained fingertips. He sniffed them gingerly.

"What is it?"

"Miasma." The answer came unbidden to the half-demon's lips. "It's the same as the stuff in the blood. Somebody melted the painting with miasma."

"What happened here?" Sango looked at what the men were staring at and frowned. "What did that used to be?"

Miroku turned around but Inuyasha continued to stare at his fingers, a dread growing in his chest. "It was a painting of Kagome-sama, but why somebody would go through the trouble of destroying the picture is beyond me…"

The hanyou shook his head as if clearing it. Miroku's voice was nothing more than background noise as an emotion he almost didn't recognise strayed into his mind…

Fear.

His hand strayed to his waist where Tetsusaiga should have been and Inuyasha froze.

"Fuck."

Drawn out of the explanation, Miroku looked at his friend and startled at the expression on his face. It looked like a mixture of shock, disbelief, anger- an entire myriad of emotions rolled into one. "What-?"

But Inuyasha seemed not to hear the man as he shook his head. "No… no… Tetsusaiga…" He glanced south and began walking, picking up speed as he went. "Kagome!"

The hanyou sprinted out of the room and through the doors, quickly leaving the couple behind. Giving a snarling mew, Kirara ran after the hanyou, fire at the tips of her paws.

"Kirara!" Wasting no time, Sango raced towards the exit, wishing that she had thought to bring her weapons. "Kirara, wait!"

Miroku had a pretty good idea of where the action was going to be and so quickly took hold of her hand, pulling the girl towards the eastern entrance, through the halls and out of the mansion, into the darkening outdoors. Quickly, the pair made their way towards the back of the yard, having no time to pause and wonder at the natural beauty. Sango had a split second to make a quick glance around before she was pulled back.

Soon, they had reached the back and the man helped his girlfriend cross the bridge and over to where Inuyasha was irritably and impatiently waiting for him. Kirara waited at his heels, the fire still burning on her feet. They paused and looked at each other, the two humans out of breath.

Sango glanced around in amazement. Although she had been told of the tall stone wall, seeing it for herself was a completely different business.

"Well?" The hanyou demanded, urgency laced in his voice. "Hurry up!"

Confused, Miroku looked at him. "Hurry what up? Why aren't you inside?"

Inuyasha closed his eyes, holding on to his frayed patience and pointed at various points on the garden wall. "Get the fucking scrolls of the damned walls!" He spread out a hand, the palm charred but quickly healing. "Your stupid barrier won't let me through."

Remembering, the monk hurried around the entrance and enlisting the help of Sango, had soon removed all of the ofuda spells. They rejoined the hanyou and demon at the front and nodded to show that everything was fine. Holding up a hand, Inuyasha made to open the door, but Miroku's voice gave him reason to pause.

"Wait-" The human shook his head. "If the scrolls are still in place, then nothing could have gotten through- nothing demon, at least."

Inuyasha stared at him in disbelief. "What the hell does it matter? We still have to get through." He shook his head and quickly pushed open the doors, hurrying through without waiting for his friends. Kirara bounded in after him and the last two soon followed them.

While the hanyou didn't stop until he had reached the centre of the clearing, the other three had stopped at the entrance. Sango and Kirara gazed around the area, appreciating the beauty and freshness of the place and Miroku carefully closed the door.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha called urgently into the silence. "Oi! Kagome!"

There wasn't a response.

He was soon joined by the others. They looked at him curiously. Miroku reached looked around and closed his eyes, trying to detect the presence of the spirit, but still, there was nothing.

The hanyou's shouts faltered. "Kagome?"

"What's all the shouting about?"

The three startled and turned around as one.

There she was.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Inuyasha rushed forwards and inspected the spirit. She appeared to be curious and slightly worried, but she was perfectly fine. An unbelievable weight lifted off of his chest at the mere sight of the girl, perfectly fine and healthy... apart from the fact that she was dead.

Kagome looked at the relieved expression on the hanyou's face and raised an eyebrow. "You took a long time coming back, you know. I got tired of waiting." She frowned. "What's wrong?"

But before the half-demon could respond, she had caught sight of the newcomer.

Her reaction startled everybody as she stumbled back with a look of surprise on her face. "Kanshou-chan?" A soft mew drew her attention away from the girl. "Kirara!" The demon was curled up at her feet, friendly eyes staring up at her.

The others stared at her in complete surprise. "How do… how do you know Kirara?" Sango drew forwards and picked up the fire cat. "And… who's Kanshou?"

Kagome passed a hand over her eyes and shook her head. "Sorry. I was… thinking about somebody else." She nodded and bowed politely. "You must be Sango. Miroku-sama… he has been… missing you." She gave the girl a look making sure she knew exactly what she meant. "Kirara was-is a friend of mine, you could say."

"And… you're Kagome… They've told me all about you." Sango shook her head, partially forgetting her manners in her shock. "I- I don't understand… how do you know…?" She was at a loss for words.

The spirit giggled and shrugged. "How old do you think Kirara is?"

The magenta-eyed girl shook her head. "I don't know… she's always been in out family…"

Smiling, Kagome nodded. "You come from the village of demon exterminators, right?"

"Right…"

"And one of your ancestors was named Kanshou." A sad smile spread across the miko's face. "She was one of the people who delivered the Shikon no Tama to my village, and she often came back to help me with my training." She sighed. "We were really good friends."

"But I still don't see…"

Kagome grinned, melancholy atmosphere gone. "She had a cat demon named Kirara. Your kitty is over five hundred years old, Sango-san."

Shocked, Sango gazed at the happily nestling Kirara in her arms. "What?"

"It was nice to meet you, Sango-san…"

She shook her head, a small smile spreading over her features. "Please, just Sango."

The spirit bowed again. "And I'm Kagome."

An impatient snort drew the girls' attention away from each other and onto a frowning half-demon. "Are you freaking done?"

"I guess." Kagome looked at him coolly. "Now what is it you wanted?"

Inuyasha held out his hand. "Katana."

"What do you say?" The spirit crossed her arms.

He scowled. "Give me my fucking Tetsusaiga."

She frowned at him. "Not until you remember your manners."

"Kagome-sama?" Miroku stepped up. "Could I please have my staff back?"

The girl grinned and retreated into the shade of the forest, soon returning with his golden staff in one hand and Tetsusaiga in the other. She handed over the jingling staff but held onto the sword, much to Inuyasha's displeasure.

"Come on, woman! Just give it over!"

She idly tossed the sword up and down, floating up higher when the hanyou tried to jump for it. "Just say 'please', Inuyasha. It's not going to kill you."

He grumbled under his breath, a pouting scowl on his face. Then, in a voice indistinguishable by human ears, he muttered something.

"What was that?"

"_Please_ give me my fucking sword." The hanyou glared up at the pleased girl as she floated down and presented Tetsusaiga with grace. "Finally."

"That's all I needed."

Sango had watched the process with interest and amusement and grinned as Kagome looked at her. "I think we're going to get along just fine."

Satisfied that Tetsusaiga was in passable condition, Inuyasha strapped it on to his waist and faced the spirit, who was chatting animatedly with the exterminator. The two were getting along just fine and were apparently telling each other about… things he didn't want to know about, breaking into giggles here and there.

He rolled his eyes.

Typical females.

"Oi, Kagome."

She looked up and into his completely serious face and the grin vanished from hers. "Yes?"

His arms crossed, the hanyou breathed in deeply. "Did anything… happen while we were gone?" He gestured around the garden. "Anything weird? Did anybody come in?"

She shook her head. "It's been pretty quiet around here. I thought I sensed youki a few moments ago, but I guess that was just me."

Miroku nodded. "My ofuda spells purify any youki that they encounter. If I were to slap one on Inuyasha, he'd have black hair and purple eyes."

Inuyasha scowled.

Kagome looked at him in interest. "Your human form? I'd like to see that."

Her pure interest in how he would look as a human brought a strangely embarrassed feeling to the hanyou and he grunted. "Some other time… Maybe." He got back to business. "But you're sure that nothing happened? Because we found out some things from Sesshoumaru and my house was trashed."

Miroku nodded thoughtfully. "It's strange that they would leave the garden alone. After all, wouldn't this be the centre of curiosity? Why didn't they come in?"

He glanced around and suddenly stiffened as he felt a bone-chilling presence. From the alarmed looks on the others' faces and the growl coming from Kirara, they could feel it too.

Kagome placed a hand on her bow and Sango had a hand on her stomach. Inuyasha was gripping Tetsusaiga as Miroku held his staff anxiously. The flames around Kirara's ankles flared as the demon prepared to transform at any second. It seemed as though the sky itself had darkened, although that could have been due purely to the face that the sun had set.

They glanced around.

Inuyasha found the silence disturbing and far more foreboding than any other sign could have been. His nerves were stretched on end, muscles tight with tension.

It was almost like the calm before the raging storm.

"Why didn't I come in?" A bodiless voice echoed from nowhere, jolting each of the five people grouped on the ground with shock. Their eyes darted to and fro, trying to locate the source. "Because the monk's spells prevented me from doing so." It was low and oily with a sleek sort of slimy confidence. The voice seemed to be coming from all directions and at the same time, from nowhere at all. "I have to thank you for opening the way into this garden for me."

Inuyasha frowned. "Get the hell out here and face us!"

The voice seemed familiar, somehow, as if he had heard if before. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find a face or name to match the voice. He looked up into the sky and found the rain clouds still hovering in the sky, but no rain fell.

"Looking for me?"

Everybody's gaze snapped forward as one to lock onto a solitary figure standing in front of the door.

Inuyasha and Miroku were taken back with surprise. "What the hell?"

Yellow eyes and short hair were the prominent features. A muscled and tattooed body also stood out.

"You're…" The monk jabbed his staff into the ground. "You're that taxi driver."

An ugly smile revealed chipped and blackened teeth. "Very perceptive, monk."

But then suddenly, his form shifted and seemed to melt into a shapeless blob. Inuyasha glanced at Kagome and found that wore a look of disgust on her face. Glancing back, he bit back a yell of surprise as another familiar face greeted him.

"Holy crap…"

Short, tousled brown hair and seemingly innocent eyes matched up with a scrawny body… of course… it was…

"Houjo-kun?!"

To his surprise, the shout hadn't come form his lips, although he had been about to say something more like 'Hono'. Looking to his right, he saw the look of complete and utter shock on Kagome's face, and indeed, it had been her who'd cried out.

"Houjo-kun… what are you…?"

The absolute confusion that seeped through Inuyasha's mind only doubled and he looked back to see that the guy's clothes had changed and that instead of modern clothes, he wore something that seemed straight out of feudal Japan. He longed to question Kagome on how she knew the wimp, but clearly, now was not the time.

"What the fuck is going on here?"

Miroku and Sango looked at their friends in mystification, not entirely understanding what was going on here.

Houjo's face twisted and his eyes held an evil gleam in them. "Right again." His shape twisted again, into a formless mass of flesh and this time, a female form emerged. "Recognise me?"

"Kagura?" Inuyasha shook his spinning head. Just what was going on? "What the hell?"

Indeed, it was the wind sorceress. Her ruby red eyes glittered maliciously and the fan fluttered in her hand. But then, for some reason, Inuyasha seemed to feel that this Kagura wasn't the same as the one he had fought. There was _something_ wrong with her…

Miroku looked at the female demon with interest. "So that's… Kagura…"

Sango looked at her boyfriend in confusion, puzzlement, panic and fear coursing through her. What was going to happen? She couldn't get into any fights… not while she was in this condition…!

'Kagura' grinned and once again, the form contorted. Everybody held their breaths at whose familiar face would appear next and in a few seconds, a man emerged from the blob.

This one, however, was unknown to them and they merely stared at the man with a morbid curiosity. He wore expensive looking clothes with black hair streaming down his shoulders and back. The cunning look of a businessman was about him in abundance. He was moderately handsome though his looks were ruined by the evil expression on his face.

"Come now, you were doing so well… don't give up now." The voice was taunting. "Just one guess."

Suddenly, Miroku gave a start and sucked in a breath. "Kagewaki Hitomi."

A thin smile spread across the man's lips. "Very good."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Inuyasha stepped forwards, half drawing Tetsusaiga. "Stop fucking playing games with us!"

He held up a finger. "Just one more round, I promise."

His body moulded into the mess that the group was quickly becoming accustomed to. In a few seconds, the blob had reshaped itself into another man who was also well dressed. His appearances were very similar to Kagewaki Hitomi, only this man's hair was pulled back and his eyes gleamed red.

"Well?" he smiled wickedly.

Inuyasha drew in a hissing breath. "Naraku!"

At this shout, everybody who had been informed of the shape-shifter were suddenly doubly on guard. Kagome, sensing her companions' absolute unrest, readied her bow.

The man laughed, a deep and sinister 'kukuku'. His eyes looked upon the ground and he smirked at their faces. "Very good. You got all the rounds right."

He took a step closer, and to the group's surprise and concern, where his feet touched, the grass shrivelled and died.

"What the hell do you want from us, you bastard?" Inuyasha still hesitated to draw Tetsusaiga, unsure what the demon would do.

The smile had disappeared from Naraku's face and he stared solidly at the hanyou. "What do I want?" his voice was soft, almost as though he were talking to himself. "What do I want?" He let out a derisive snort. "Haven't you figured it out?"

Miroku drew out a couple of scrolls from within his pockets and threw them at the demon. "You will never get the Shikon no Tama!"

Looking lazily at the approaching paper, Naraku held out a hand and the ofuda spells burst into blue flame. "I'm too powerful for your silly tricks, human." A smirk lifted the corner of his mouth. "And what I want, I shall get."

"Who _are_ you?" Kagome stepped up, an arrow notched in her bow and aimed for the demon. "Speak now or be purified. I assure you, that you won't be able to stop my arrow."

A flicker of amusement fired up in Naraku's eyes. "I would be more worried that you would hit the person standing next to me, miko." A look malevolent thoughtfulness crossed his face. "My, my. You seem no more different than the day you died, Kagome." Something strange entered his gaze. "So much like her."

Kagome frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about? How do you know my name?"

Naraku held out his arms in what could have been a sincere gesture, coming from anybody else. "Don't you recognise me? I'm sure my clothes have changed, but my face is the same… after all, I cannot age."

Lowering her bow, the miko could sense all eyes on her, but she just couldn't place the man in her mind. "What… I don't know you." She shook her head. "You saw me when I died-?"

He chuckled again and the sound struck fear into the others. "Perhaps you would recognise my former form, hmm? About five hundred years ago? When you were still alive? In the mountains… I was crippled and burned and dear Kikyou brought me to the village?" He grinned at the look of shock on her face. "Yes, I remember you didn't like me very much. Neither you nor that brat did."

Kagome stumbled back. "Onigumo…" she breathed. "But… but how…?"

The grin grew. "Oh, so you haven't forgotten. Yes, I _was_ Onigumo, the wild thief who had stumbled across some hard times." He glanced at the people behind Kagome. "You may want to sit down. It's going to be a long story." To the speechless spirit, he continued talking. "Poor, poor Onigumo…" His voice was mocking. "He was stuck in a cave because the village people wouldn't suffer to have him in their midst."

"You were repulsive." She had found her voice again. "You leered at every woman who crossed your sight and you spat at the children."

"Ah, memories." Naraku shook his head before continuing the slow narration. "But always, there was _one_ person who didn't seem to mind him. There was _one_ person who seemed to care for him… raven hair, cold grey eyes… ah, the cold and beautiful priestess Kikyou."

Kagome shuddered in disgust at the look on the demon's face.

"Onigumo… the foolish human, he fell in _love_ with her, if you would believe." He let out a laugh. "The love of a savage! Imagine, Kikyou… she cared for him and began to _trust_ him. She began to share her stories and deepest feelings. After all, Onigumo wasn't going to live for much longer, was he? He didn't have anybody to whom to spread her secrets." His eyes glinted. "How she would _lament_ to the paralysed man, about how she had mistreated her sister one day, or had been cold to her friend the other. It was always one thing or another.

"Onigumo… he listened to her patiently. He sympathised with her as best as he could without the use of his voice. And with each pain that had befallen his _beloved_ Kikyou, he vowed to gain vengeance for her. One day, however, something extremely interesting came to his attention."

Naraku paused and savoured the look of horror on Kagome's face. The bow hung limply from her hand and she listened as though transfixed. Taking a glance behind her, he noted with extreme interest that, while everybody else was looking at himself, the hanyou was staring at the spirit.

He hid a devilish smile.

"One day. she came in to help him drink water, and this time, she had something to tell that she had _never_ told anybody else. The miko, she even warned of Onigumo never to repeat her words- as if he _could_ have. She said that she wasn't _good_ enough to have been chosen as guardian of the Shikon no Tama. She confessed to him that she was so _jealous_ of her friend who had been chosen, and not her. She had been so ashamed even though she hid it behind a stony face." Naraku paused again.

Kagome's eyes were wide and her breaths were coming in quickly even though she had no need for air.

"Oh, yes. Once, can you imagine, the _perfect_ Kikyou, she…" He lowered his voice as if conveying a great secret. "She said that she even _hated_ the girl called Kagome…"

The spirit's eyes were lowered and she was shaking. Through all those years, she had had absolutely no idea that Kikyou had felt that way…

"Oh yes. Shocking, isn't it, Kagome dear? That was why Kikyou couldn't have the jewel- she could bear grudges and was even… selfish. But there's more." Naraku grinned. "So much more. Of course, Kikyou took back that comment, but it remained in her heart and the hatred only made her all the more appealing to Onigumo. The prospect of having the Shikon no Tama was so alluring to the crippled man that he began to desire the woman and the jewel as one. Foolish human."

Kagome bent down and was now huddled over the grass eyes closed, lost in the past. Kirara mewed softly and Inuyasha's grip tightened on his katana.

He strode to stand beside the fallen spirit and he glared at Naraku. "Whatever you have to say, say it already. The quicker you finish, the quicker I can kill you."

The shape-shifter tutt-ed. "Come now, Inuyasha. I'm giving you a glance into the past… and we still have to get to best part. I'm sure you'll _love_ it." His smirk widened into a grin at the enraged expression on the hanyou's face. "Onigumo began to plot his way to steal the jewel and the girl. He couldn't walk on his own, so what could he do? And then, he had never met this Kagome girl and only knew that she was several years younger than Kikyou although the two shared many physical aspects.

"What could her weaknesses be? Would she be even more powerful than Kikyou? Doubt entered his mind, but then the priestess gave him a piece of information that would spark his entire plan. Oh yes. You see, she had been very agitated for the entire day, because she was the sole witness to something unthinkable… something almost impossible." He paused and carelessly flicked his finger at a passing butterfly. A flash of miasma hit it and the insect melted.

A low growl started in the hanyou as anger spread through his form. He could feel his blood boiling and a curious light-headedness spread through him. He continued to grip Tetsusaiga, knowing that without direct contact with it, something corrupt would happen to him.

"Ah yes. The young guardian _did_ have at least one weakness. Kikyou… she had no idea what she was doing as she whispered her latest secret to the burnt man. Just think… In the woods, while she was collecting herbs, Kikyou had heard talking coming in the direction of the great god tree." Naraku pointed up. "_That_ one, in fact."

Everybody except for Kagome turned to look at the Goshinboku. The spirit meanwhile, had frozen, her eyes open in dread at what Naraku was about to say.

"And just when she reached the clearing where the tree stood, just picture her surprise when she saw her 'friend' the one who had received the jewel, the one who was to keep the jewel away from _all_ demons… talking to one… a male wolf demons, if I remember correctly." Naraku grinned in satisfaction as the miko stiffened. "And they weren't shouting, either. They were speaking as though they had done so before… and they _had_. But still, Kikyou had faith in her friend. Perhaps she was just warning the demon to stay away?"

Inuyasha glanced down and found a strangely strained Kagome huddled on the ground.

She was shaking.

Naraku eyes flickered over the monk and the girl and grinned as he immediately recognised the girl's state. "But Kikyou… she was proven wrong as the demon leaned forwards… and the girl leaned forwards… their eyes closed… and you can guess what happened"

Inuyasha froze.

His blood no longer seemed to be boiling more than it had become as cold as ice. His grip slackened and a strange heaviness seemed to knock the wind out of him.

She…

She'd kissed…

Kissed! 

Another guy!

A hot jealousy began to boil in him before he realised what was happening.

Why was he jealous?

It wasn't as if he had any _feelings_ for the girl!

Hell, she was a fucking spirit!

Inuyasha snapped himself out of it as he realised that Naraku had resumed his taunting.

"Then, everything became so simple for Onigumo. One day, when Kikyou was away, he called upon all the demons he could name. He summoned hundreds, perhaps even thousands of demons to take his body and make him powerful so that he could avenge Kikyou's sufferings and claim the Shikon no Tama. And demons came. They merged with his evil soul… Onigumo experienced pain beyond pain… and they emerged as one… the most powerful demon ever…" He grinned maliciously. "…Me."

Miroku and Sango looked at the demon in alarm. His eyes were closed and a sneer was on his face.

"This guy's… a madman." Miroku's voice was no higher than a whisper.

Sango nodded in agreement.

"The foolish human, he thought that he could control his new body, but he had thought incorrectly. His dark soul was buried beneath hundreds of others, and I remained above them all."

"So you're a damned freak." Inuyasha glared at him, not trusting himself to look at Kagome. "Get on with it already."

Naraku ignored the hanyou and took his time in continuing. "I felt nothing for the priestess called Kikyou. Onigumo's desire had no effect on me. My only goal was to gain the Shikon no Tama. It would guarantee my domination. So what to do next, but to hunt down the wolf demon that poor, young, _naïve_ Kagome had _fallen in love_ with?" He purposefully drew out the words, intent to make it as painful as possible.

The hanyou glared, his grip again tightening on his sword.

"It didn't take long to locate him. I found him with his pack, but it took quite a while to lure him out from the rest of the mongrels. However, once he was alone, he was all mine." Naraku smiled evilly at the lost expression on Kagome's face as she sneaked a torn look at the stiff hanyou. "I took his shape, and met the guardian at their meeting place on the day they had agreed to meet. It was easy, to get the information on the jewel from her own mouth."

"Oh gods…" Kagome covered her face. "Oh gods…"

"The next day, I kept the wolf's shape and broke into the town. It was a pleasure, to hear the screaming villagers as they discovered that their houses were on fire. I took the jewel from its resting place in the shrine house and I could feel the power it would grant me." For the first time, the cold amusement disappeared from Naraku's face. "And then _she_ came. Kikyou came and tried to kill me. Of course, she couldn't do it, but while I wanted nothing more than to kill the stupid girl, Onigumo's will prevented me from doing so."

There was nothing but silence in the garden as the demon stopped speaking for a moment. All eyes were trained on the man and all faces held some look of horror as the reason for Kagome's death unfolded.

"Then, when I was about to leave, Kagome finally reached the shrine house and confronted me, who she thought of course, was her own beloved wolf demon. It was actually quite amusing- the words that came out of her mouth, but I don't have to repeat them, do I?" The smirk had returned. "She tried to kill me… and I thought she wouldn't have had the guts to do it. But the shrine house was burning and collapsing."

Kagome shook her head, forgotten memories flooding into her head. "The smoke… there was so much smoke…" She shuddered and coughed as if she were reliving the moment.

"Yes, there was, wasn't there?" mused Naraku. "I ran out, but the stupid girl followed me into the woods, but she was dying. Kikyou had never made it out of the shrine. The fire had spread to the forest and the trees were aflame. Kagome actually dared to fire an arrow with the last of her strength, and with some sort of dumb luck, she hit me."

His expression was ugly indeed. "The jewel flew out of my grasp and went to its guardian. When I went back for it and to finish the girl, I couldn't find her." He spit onto the ground, and smoke rose from where it hit the grass. "The forest was hiding her from me.

"I was weak from that damned arrow, but there no longer was a guardian left to protect and purify the jewel. I left to recover but when I came back, the damned villagers had built a wall around the remaining forest and the old shrine house." His eyes flashed with malice. "I've had to wait for five hundred years for somebody to come and unlock the seal." His lip curled. "I have you to thank, hanyou, but the years were not spent in waste as I-"

"Enough." Kagome stood up, bedraggled and weary, but a pale light of power surrounded her. "Enough." Her voice was rough and low. "You bastard."

Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise. He'd never heard her swear even once, and for a moment, he forgot about the 'wolf demon'.

Slowly, she notched an arrow and aimed it for the smiling demon. "Just shut up. Shut up! You are not going to make it out of here alive. Not with what you've done." She closed her eyes in pain before opening them and glaring at Naraku. "May your soul be punished in the deepest of the hells."

She pulled back on the bow.

Naraku narrowed his eyes and chuckled again. "Do you honestly think you will shoot me?" His form began to twist again, shaping into somebody else. "Do you have the willpower to kill me, considering who rests inside of my body, little Kagome?"

The flesh writhed, making disgusting noises as a shape emerged, followed by a face and clothes.

The transformation was complete:

Pupil-less cobalt eyes.

Long, black hair pulled back.

Bangs held back with a headband.

Sharp facial features.

Pointed ears.

A muscular body covered by armour and wolf fur.

A swishing tail…

Kagome dropped her bow and arrow and they fell to disappear before hitting the ground.

Her eyes grew wide and a chill ran down her spine.

Inuyasha looked at her curiously and found an extreme dislike for the demon Naraku had become.

The spirit stepped back in shock. "K-kouga…"

'Kouga' grinned wolfishly. "Hey, babe."

* * *

Review Responses: 

-- WhiteDloud  
Well, Kagura didn't _exactly_ come back… no, the greater evil showed himself. Is she a slave? Perhaps. Sess/Rin or Sess/Kagu? For continuation fics, I prefer Sess/Kagu. There's something… strange about Sess/Rin, considering she's a little girl… even if she does grow up (sort of like marrying your father sort of thing), but since this is an alternate universe fic and Rin's already grown up…=)

-- hanyou-elf  
Sango is pregnant. Normally, I'd keep the secret to the end, but since it really is kind of obvious… Higurashi-san wasn't in the building, I guess. Miroku was guessing at why the door was open… ;)

-- Izayoi  
I suppose it did complicate the story a little, but it's just some background information… history. I couldn't resist putting that in there. =)

-- Mental Monkey  
It's not mandatory that you review... it just makes me very... happy. Taxi driver: clearer now (who it is)? Well... not really.If she's been giving off any noticable signs, Miroku hasn't noticed them and Inuyasha and Kirara know because of their noses... Sesshoumaru: perhaps he will make another appearance before the ending chapter (which he is definitely a part of). Kouga... clearer in this chapter? More to be explained in chap.15. Kagura/Naraku garden entry- should have been clear in this chapter. And for Sango not wanting to shop with Inu and Mir-Shopping with men isn't easy...

x-x

Many Thanks to: 

Eloraya (Surgery? O.o)

Katami

sapphire pink (Domo arrigatou = Thank you very much =) )

Sarcasm Girl8 (Did you get the link?)

remix-69er

lady lilacks (It was rather sudden, wasn't it? Glad you enjoyed!)

Fiery Demon Fox

humble-bumble (Fluff… later… Drama, jealousy… now)

kagome fan

darkscorpio28 (eh heh...)

SkyWolf

* * *

[Big… biiiig, loooong narrative by Naraku. But, hey. At least you know how she died… 

And if you're surprised at Kagura's short appearance despite Inuyasha saying that he smelled her… remember that in the series, Kagura and Naraku share the same scent, though maybe Kagura might smell… girlier? Also, her mystery will be solved later… in chapter fifteen… I hope.

Me: Been watching Olympics day in and day out, so I haven't been doing outstanding amounts of writing. For my other stories: on a short hiatus while I sort them out.

Okay.

One more thing:

The plot will get... slighty (slightly?) more complicated than it is with the next chapter and I'll be stepping into dangerous territory. There's the general plot and romantic progression. -.-;; So... I'm taking a pretty big risk of over-complexity with this plot and hopefully, I can make everything... right at the end.

Till next time… (and I hope you're there)

Ja!]


	15. Troubles Anew

Disclaimer: I'll wish for it on my birthday, but right now… no.

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

x-x

-- Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

{Inuyasha looked at her (Kagome) curiously and found an extreme dislike for the demon Naraku had become.

The spirit stepped back in shock. "K-kouga…"

'Kouga' grinned wolfishly. "Hey, babe."}

x-x

**Chapter FIFTEEN:**

**Troubles Anew**

x-x

The wolf demon spread his arms wide, gaze fixed intently on the faltering girl. "Come here, Kagome-chan." His grin widened. "I missed you."

Inuyasha could only watch as Kagome took a few hesitant steps towards this 'Kouga', looking half dazed and almost as though in a trance. His voice was stuck in his throat as step by step, she grew nearer to the spirit. In a last effort, he wrenched his voice free. The hanyou was about to tell her to stop when she shook her head wildly and froze at her own accord.

"No…" Kagome whispered before her voice grew in volume. "No." She retreated backwards. "No… You aren't him. I won't… I won't." The girl had backtracked to stand level with Inuyasha once more. "You won't trick me with that. Kouga-kun is dead."

Eyes narrowing, the grin slid off of Naraku's face, making Kouga's expression twist into a reflection of his own. "So, you don't think the silly wolf prince if alive?" The smirk returned, revealing sharp canines. "But don't you see, dear Kagome? He _is _alive."

The spirit scowled at him. "You lie."

"Do I?"

Inuyasha, however, had an inkling of what Naraku meant and a dread crept into his mind. In a voice that almost inaudible, he spoke to the incarnate of evil, "You absorbed him."

Naraku's gaze flickered to rest on the dog hanyou, a look of barely concealed surprise on his face. "You did your research, hafling. I shall have to ask you where you learnt it before I kill you. Can't have my secrets out for all to know, can I?" He turned back to Kaomge. "Your little halfling pet is right, miko. The wolf is inside me and I am the keeper of his soul."

Kagome shook her head in denial. "You can't. You're lying!"

"Kagome-sama…" She turned back to look at Miroku. "Kagome-sama, Inuyasha is right. Se-… We learned that Naraku does have the ability to absorb things, and it's likely that he's telling the truth."

"Ah, so you are another one who will have to die," said Naraku from within Kouga's body. "You look quite familiar, monk." He peered at him and narrowed his eyes. Realisation flashed. "Of course."

Using his stolen body, the demon stepped forwards, quickly approaching Miroku, who stepped in front to cover Sango. Inuyasha moved back to stand by his friend, as did Kagome, though she was more slow and hesitant in her steps.

Naraku chuckled evilly at the display. "Foolish, you know. I could kill you all in one shot- but no… not yet." Instead, he pointed at Miroku. "Show me your right hand, monk."

He frowned. "And why should I do that?"

With a sudden burst of speed that was an ability of Kouga, he shot forwards and grasped Miroku by the neck in one hand, forcing his hand forwards with the other.

"Miroku!" Sango moved forwards, but the miko sped in front of her, pushing with her powers against the girl. Trying to move forwards without success, Sango shook her head hard. "Miroku! Let him go, you bastard!"

Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga and charged at the demon, but Naraku lifted the struggling human off the ground, causing the human to claw at his bare arms, fighting for breath.

"One wrong move, hanyou, and he dies."

Inuyasha skidded to a stop and glaring hard at the demon, he heavily sheathed the katana.

Satisfied, Naraku returned to his business and drew the monk's right hand up to eye level with the human still in his hold. "Tell me, human, who were your forefathers?" He loosened his grip to allow him to speak.

Despite his precarious position, Miroku gritted his teeth and ground out, "I don't see what business of yours it is." He gasped in pain as the demon punched him in the stomach.

Naraku studied him shrewdly, the ends of his lips tilted downwards in a frown. "No matter. I know exactly who you are. Descendant of monks and a monk yourself. You are named after one of your ancestors, I believe. 'Miroku'." He narrowed his eyes. "I cursed your family line, but why you haven't been affected is beyond me."

"Let him go!" Sango screamed at Naraku, hands itching for her weapon.

Cold blue eyes glanced at her and a smirk made its way onto his face. "Perhaps it would be best if I simply killed you right here in front of your mate, hmm?" His grip tightened painfully.

Kirara growled and the flame flared around her feet. In a sudden burst of energy, she transformed into her larger form- a larger, far more powerful and dangerous feline. Her mew now a ferocious roar, the cat jumped at the demon, long fangs bared.

Not in the least bit startled, Naraku lessened his hold on the monk's neck for a fraction of an inch and dropped the human's hand. He raised it at the approaching Kirara and flung her to the side, into a tree. Deed done, Naraku returned his attention to the struggling man.

"Or would it be more satisfying to curse your family line again?"

"Naraku!" Kagome snapped her fingers and her bow materialised in her hand. Notching an arrow, she aimed its point for the midsection of Kouga's stolen body. "Let him go, or I'll shoot." Her hand shook but her face was grim.

The demon chuckled evilly. "You wouldn't dare. Remember, miko, if you kill me, you kill your wolf demon and the thousands of others in my body."

Kagome faltered slightly before the arrow point rose to rest on its mark. "Let. Him. Go." Her voice was low and her arms shook, but her hands were now steady.

"Do your worst."

Mouth in a line, the girl pulled the bowstring back further before truthfully letting the arrow fly. It sped towards the stolen body and became encased in a blue light. Inuyasha could feel the pure power emitted by the projectile and almost shivered at the thought of what would happen if it were to hit him.

Just as it was about to connect with Naraku, the demon threw Miroku into the air, pulling backwards. The arrow missed him by millimetres, though the purity about the projectile burned his flesh. Inuyasha leapt forwards and safely caught the human, setting on the ground where he was bombarded by Sango.

Looking above the heads of the panting Miroku who was brokenly assuring his girlfriend, Inuyasha made eye contact with Kagome. It was only for a few seconds, but he felt that he couldn't take seeing her eye to eye just yet. The hanyou broke the connection and turned to stare at the shape-shifter.

All amusement had long faded from the shape-shifter's face as he spat at the spirit, "So you would risk the lives of hundreds just to kill me?" His form twisted and moulded to reshape into Naraku's usual body. "Or perhaps it is because you yourself are dead and you wish for 'dear Kouga' to join you?" He stared at her steadily. "Sorry to burst your bubble, miko, but he doesn't remember you."

Kagome frowned in confusion. "What?"

Naraku waved his hand and disgustingly enough, a blob detached from his body and began to writhe. "See for yourself. The wolf prince has long forgotten you. You were nothing more than a bump in his long life- an object of play." The thing grew to assume a humanoid form. "Do you really think he loved you? Why would the prince of the wolves settle for a simple shrine maiden human when he had the choice of the most beautiful demons?"

The girl shook his head. "I don't…"

"It was the jewel he loved. It was the jewel he desired." The blob was now taking on Kouga's aspects. "Here he is, for the first time in five hundred years, free from me."

With that, the newly freed Kouga shook his head as though awakening from a deep sleep. Cerulean blue eyes opened and blinked to clear the fogginess that came from centuries of disuse. Clawed hands clenched and unclenched, cracking the stiff joints.

Inuyasha sniffed the air and while Naraku's stink made his lip curl in disgust, he could detect another scent. It was musty and undoubtedly masculine, carrying the musk of the ancient wolf packs. This, undoubtedly, was the real Kouga.

He glared at him, not liking him in the least and though he put it off to having been a part of Naraku, Inuyasha knew that it was beyond that.

Confused, the wolf-demon looked around at his surroundings and almost yelped as he found himself so close to Naraku. "You!" His voice was gruff and it took a while for his throat to clear. "You bastard! You kept me in your fucking body!" He shuddered with disgust and leapt backwards, achieving a sizeable distance with the single bound. He sniffed himself. "I smell like you!"

The shape-shifter looked at him lazily, holding out his palm. "Be more respectful in your speech, wolf." Something materialised in his hand, appearing to be a heart organ. "You haven't escaped just yet."

He squeezed on the organ and immediately, Kouga clutched at his chest, eyes widening in unbelievable pain. A choked gasp came from his throat as he doubled over.

"Kouga-kun!" Kagome started forwards, not willing to take Naraku's words to heart just yet. "Are you all right?"

As Naraku released his grip on Kouga's heart and it disappeared, the wolf demon looked over at the concerned girl, puzzlement in his eyes. "Who are you and why do you call me so familiarly?"

The miko stopped still and she shook her head. "No… Don't you… remember?"

The wolf-demon frowned and sniffed at the air, his confuse doubling. "You're not even _alive_! I've never seen you in my life! Why would I bother to meet a human like you?"

Defeated, Kagome felt a tugging in her chest even though she had no beating heart and she stumbled backwards, unable to stop. "No…" She closed her eyes and shook her head wildly. "You're lying!" The bow had disappeared again until it was called for, and her fists were clenched hard.

Sango looked at her friend with concern and pity, Miroku's head placed strategically on her lap. "Oh, Kagome-chan…"

Inuyasha's own hands were flexing rhythmically, the hanyou longing to take a big chunk out of the demon. His hatred for the wolf grew as it became evident that he had plainly _used_ Kagome to try and get closer to the Shikon no Tama. He dismissed the fact that maybe, just _maybe_, the five hundred years in captivity had truly wiped Kagome from the wolf's mind.

Some people would call him jealous, even.

In fact, in his eyes, Kouga had become a rival ever since the hanyou learned of the connection between miko and demon.

Though he would never admit to it.

Kouga looked around again, catching sight of the glowering hanyou and the huddled humans. "Where the hell am I?"

Naraku, who had been keeping silent and inwardly gloating at the expression on Kagome's face, grinned lazily and snapped his fingers. "It doesn't matter because… back you go."

The wolf-demon was drawn irresistibly towards Naraku even as he put up a valiant effort. "Hey… Let go! Damn it!" Kouga slashed at the demon as soon as he was in range, but wherever his claws sliced through the flesh, it simply remoulded and healed itself. "I'm not going back!"

But it was too late as the group watched the horror of Naraku reabsorbing the struggling demon. Everybody was speechless and not even Kagome had the heart to call out again.

Inuyasha, snapping out of his disgust, quickly drew Tetsusaiga and charged the preoccupied demon. Naraku caught sight of the enraged hanyou long before he had come into range and raised his hand. While Inuyasha kept on running, katana poised for a powerful stroke, the shape-shifter sent a heavy blast of miasma from his palm.

"Foolish."

The half-demon barely had time to evade the poison and he jumped to the side. The miasma connected with a nearby tree and melted a hole clean through the trunk. Regrouping, he quickly resumed attempting to get closer to the demon and recalled the 'scar of the wind' technique.

Pausing, Inuyasha skidded to a stop and sniffed discreetly to find where the 'scar' was. Taking this opportunity, Naraku sent a large bullet of his signature poison towards the hanyou from the side. By the time Inuyasha had realised what had happened, it was too late to avoid the blow and he held up his arm in defence.

He waited for the venom to burn through his long-sleeved shirt and through his flesh, but nothing happened. There was the sound of something swishing through the air and a grunt from Naraku. Hesitant, Inuyasha lowered his arm and blinked as he found the translucent body of Kagome standing between him and the demon.

Her hand was drawn back from releasing the string of her bow. Her back was straight and her feet apart in a classic stance. Getting over the initial shock and relief, Inuyasha glanced past the miko and blinked at the sight of Naraku… with a large hole through his torso.

"Naraku!" Kagome called out, her hand already reaching for a second arrow. "You will not get out of this garden alive for as long as I am the guardian of the Shikon no Tama." Her voice was hard with authority and was devoid of emotion.

The demon narrowed his eyes. "We shall see about that. I hear that spirits do not last long when their bodies are completely destroyed." He raised his hand, calling up a large amount of miasma. "Let's see how long you do once this entire place is destroyed."

Inuyasha raised the transformed katana over his head and called for Kagome to step aside. Even if she was a spirit, he wasn't risking her to get caught in the blast that was sure to come.

"You bastard…" The hanyou laughed grimly. "You've underestimated me." Making certain of where the scar was, he brought down Tetsusaiga hard onto it. "You should have killed me while you had the chance!"

Immediately, huge blades of power headed directly for the shape-shifter, creating forceful winds alongside it. Inuyasha's hair blew back and he raised his arm to shield his face from oncoming foliage. Sneaking a glance at Kagome, he saw that not even her clothes were affected by the winds as she watched the assault proceed towards Naraku.

From this angle, Inuyasha could see that her face was unusually masked and her face held no emotion except for a deep dejection in her eyes. He bit back the emotion that was rising within and instead, focused on Naraku in the distance.

Sango squeezed her eyes shut and huddled over Miroku, who had long before recovered. The rings on his staff jingled as the wind moved them and the golden stick itself tilted backwards from its position in the ground. Kirara was safely hidden behind the pair and mewed softly.

The demon regarded the approaching attack with a cool calm. Just as the first most blade was about to strike, he held up a casual hand and quickly formed a barrier around himself. Although the attack hit and pushed hard against the shield, it was not match and the 'scar of the wind' was soon defeated.

Inuyasha raised his head, expecting to see nothing but a corpse in front of him but he was sorely disappointed. While there were now several new gouges in the garden floor, Naraku was all but unharmed as he dusted off his sleeve carelessly, ignoring the others for the moment.

Sensing the hanyou's gaze, he smirked and raised his palm again. "Underestimated you, did I?"

Another bolt of miasma was sent spiralling towards the hanyou.

Again, Kagome stepped in and this time, notched not one, but two arrows and carefully aimed them towards the demon. "Give it up, Naraku." She let fly the bow and the two arrows sped towards him. One cut through the miasma, purifying it immediately and then there was a clean path left for both arrows.

The shape-shifter seemed to be slightly startled at the sight of two streaks of pure spiritual power headed for his body. So fast were the projectiles that the evil incarnate barely had time to move before one successfully made its mark and hit him dead on.

"Yes." The spirit lowered her bow; a look of grim satisfaction etched on her face as a huge burst of light interrupted the dark of night.

Inuyasha looked at the point of explosion, but something told him that Naraku hadn't been done in just yet. Miroku had stood up and was retrieving his staff, his gaze weary and watching the lighted area. Sango had stayed back, Kirara in her grasp.

The light faded.

The dust cleared.

And what they saw both startled and disgusted them all.

It was a blob- fleshy and shapeless, with several appendages sticking out of it. There were insectoid legs and humanoid limbs. On top of it all, was the frowning head of Naraku. A black puddle of blood and miasma rested on the grass directly below along with several smaller portions of the blob. Slowly, the particles, as though attracted by the larger piece, flew towards it and they rejoined.

Inuyasha, seeing his opportunity, readied Tetsusaiga and quickly cut across the scar in the wind again, this time with a greater effort and accompanied with a grunt. The blades created flew directly towards the disabled demon and he could only watch and feel as the attack met him head on.

There was an inhuman screech that echoed off the stone walls, but when the dust fell to the ground, Naraku was still yet alive. Granted, he had been torn to pieces, but he was still alive and it appeared to be that he was still regrouping.

The greenish blue blobs on the ground pulsated and the all flew towards the central piece, massing and merging together.

"Damn… what does it take to kill this guy?" Inuyasha muttered to himself. "He just keeps on reforming."

However, Naraku did seem to be beaten for the day and he himself knew it. The demon glared at the group, sensing that he _had_ underestimated them- as a group, at least. The monk and the exterminator hadn't been in the action, but nevertheless, leaving them out of his plans had been a large miscalculation.

He spat onto the ground.

"I will be back." A barrier formed around the pieces of the demon and he slowly rose from the ground. "The Shikon no Tama will be mine, and your soul, miko," he stared at Kagome, "your soul will be damned to suffer in the depths of hell forever."

"Come back here and fight, you bastard!" Inuyasha ran forwards, Tetsusaiga poised. "You running away?"

Naraku sneered at him. "Little halflings shouldn't meddle with things that are beyond them. What you desire is out of your grasp, hanyou." His eyes narrowed. "And if you would, it is a strategic retreat."

"It looks a lot like running away to me." Miroku strode forwards, the point of his staff directed at the demon. "Come back and face us." There were visible bruises on his neck and he clearly wanted compensation.

The demon paused and drifted a little lower. Naraku now wore an evil smile on his face, an idea already forming in his head. "Have you ever heard of the 'Kaazana'?"

The human paused, caution prompting him to step back.

"Ah, you're scared. That's the first wise thing I've seen out of you lot." An arm emerged from the black mess. "I killed your ancestor long ago, but clearly, he had a child I knew nothing about." The hand raised its palm, a black hole growing in its palm. "But now, I think it's time for your bloodline to re-acknowledge… the wind tunnel."

The black hole suddenly sprang from Naraku's hand and travelled as a sharp spiral, headed directly towards Miroku's own hand. It moved much too quickly for anybody to react and soon enough, the human gave a cry of pain, collapsing onto his knees.

Sango rushed forwards, but Miroku shook his head. "N-no! Don't get any closer!"

Shaking and sweating from the absolute pain, he slowly raised his right palm and discovered, with a jolt of horror, that the black hole had merged with his hand. It drew in soft winds, but the force of the winds were quickly gaining in power so that Miroku had to hold his hand away from his face to keep himself from being sucked in.

In doing that, the kaazana now had an open area and the winds rapidly increased in strength. Blades of grass were sucked through and with a morbid curiosity, the man shakingly directed his palm towards a young tree to see what would happen. The branches of the tree swayed and its truck creaked.

Kagome, the only one physically unaffected by the winds, watched as the roots strained to keep its grip on the ground, but the tree was clearly loosing the fight.

Soon, its roots could not stand the pressure of the winds and it was cleanly uprooted and flew for the monk. Miroku flinched and looked away, but couldn't withdraw his hand.

To his and his friends' surprise, there was no impact and instead, with a sickening 'shloop', the tree was swallowed by the wind tunnel.

Naraku laughed at the looks of shock on their faces. He threw a piece of cloth and some beads towards the monk. "These are the last of your ancestor. I would suggest you put it on if you don't want to be consumed by the Kazaana."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "Why should he accept your help?"

"Anything that goes into the wind tunnel will never come out again." Naraku scoffed. "Now put on the glove before you destroy the entire garden."

Despite not wanting to accept anything from the demon who had imposed the curse, Miroku quickly put on the purple coloured cloth. He slid his third finger through a golden ring and fastened the beads around his hand and lower arm.

A perfect fit.

Sure enough, the rosary served to counter the darkness of the curse and contained it. Everybody breathed a sigh of relief.

However, before they could feel too relieved, Naraku chose to cast worry on their minds.

"I wouldn't pause just yet. The Kazaana may be tame right now, but it will get larger." He grinned maniacally. "And when it grows, the winds will grow and you, human, will be sucked into your own hand."

Miroku stared at his covered hand in shock.

"And that's not all." The demon was gloating. "When you die, the curse will be passed on to your offspring and them to their offspring." His red eyes fixed Sango with a malicious glance. His gaze strayed purposefully to her stomach and he grinned. "Your entire bloodline will forever be inflicted with the Kazaana."

Inuyasha, infuriated, leapt at Naraku with Tetsusaiga but the demon sped away in his barrier before the hanyou reached him.

His maniacal laughter echoed throughout the countryside even long after he was gone.

As soon as Naraku had gone, the atmosphere seemed to calm down. All rushed towards the kneeling Miroku, Sango reaching him first and taking his cursed hand. Kirara strayed around them, mewing in a concerned manner.

She felt the beads and gingerly pressed in the middle of the palm.

There was nothing there… it was like an indent in his palm.

Blinking back tears, she shook her head, almost not believing that something like this could have happened. She felt his arms stray around her form and the strain finally took its toll on Sango as she cried softly into his chest.

Sighing, Miroku stroked her hair. "Come on, Sango. It- it's not that bad…" He swallowed thickly, just barely managing his own emotions. He stared at his hand. "We'll just have to find a way to beat Naraku. I'm sure that… will take this curse away." The hand dropped to his side. "Besides, my ancestors were free for a while, weren't they?"

It did nothing to console his girl. After all, _he_ didn't know… what she did.

Inuyasha looked at the pair consumed in their own sorrow and almost forgot his own. He slowly sheathed the Tetsusaiga, eye on his best friend and his girlfriend. In all the years that he'd known Miroku, the man had always been calm and reserved, taking things at face value.

But now, he was cursed.

He laughed dryly, without humour.

It looked like the monk really did have cursed hands.

The hanyou looked around the clearing. The grass was heavily scarred and in the place Naraku had been, there were large black marks on the dirt. But the garden had its own brand of magic and it was already re-growing to cover up the damage.

Inuyasha sighed heavily.

Then, herself drew his gaze away from the damage, to another person who was sitting, hunched up in the grass. Her head was bowed down and delicate hands were wrapped around her legs. Blue eyes stared without seeing.

He turned towards the humans and found that they had stood up.

Grim and depressed, Sango took a stumbling step forward and nodded her head towards the house. "We-…we'll be going in. Coming?"

The half-demon shook his head.

The woman nodded in understanding. She'd seen how he'd looked at Kagome, and even if he didn't realise it himself, it was pretty obvious…

Miroku placed an arm around her shoulder and supporting each other, the two headed slowly towards the exit, trailed by a slightly limping fire cat.

Soon, Inuyasha was left alone with the spirit, though she didn't seem to notice it. Slowly, hesitantly, he headed towards her small form. A sudden realisation hit him that out of all his friends, he himself had been the one least affected by Naraku's revelation.

His fist clenched.

He'd pay that bastard back.

But for now, there was a different problem sitting in front of him.

The half-demon slowly sat onto the grass next to the brooding miko and she finally seemed to snap out of her daze. Lifting her head, Kagome looked at him before lowering her eyes again.

"I guess I should have told you about Kouga, huh?" her voice was flat.

At the mere mention of the wolf demon's name, Inuyasha felt his temper (and jealousy, if he'd known it) spark but his tone was surprisingly neutral.

Flat, even.

"It would have been nice."

Kagome lapsed into silence once more, lost in thought.

She wasn't so much _sad_, as she was _utterly confused_.

For one, she had expected that knowing that Kouga probably had been playing her, would leave her an emotional wreck. She had expected for herself to be in tears by now. After all, not only had she been betrayed in a way, she had also been just a 'bump' in Kouga's life.

Suprisingly enough, all Kagome felt was a deep sort of acceptance and some degree of sadness- though not as heavy as she would have expected.

Was she angry with Kouga?

The answer to that, of course, was resounding yes.

Of course she was mad. Who wouldn't be?

But the thing that made Kagome so pure hearted was that she never held a grudge against anyone. She was always looking for ways to help others and she always got over setbacks. That was what had set her apart from Kikyou, and that was why she had been granted the Shikon no Tama.

She sighed.

That was only one thing.

Another was the fact that the pain in her heart wasn't as painful as she'd imagined either.

It was almost as if… she'd had always _known_ that Kouga hadn't been serious.

But she didn't understand that either. If she hadn't really _loved_ him, then why wasn't her heart empty? There was _somebody_ in there and it was like she had fallen in love with somebody… but she didn't know _who_ and _how_ it was that he had crept into her heart without her knowing.

She mentally shook her head.

She couldn't love _anybody_.

Not that she _wouldn't_, or didn't _want_ to…

She couldn't.

Period.

Not now, not ever.

As long as she was the protector of the Shikon no Tama, her life was bound to it and having romantic connections wasn't only almost impossible, it was dangerous as well.

After all, look at where the last relationship had gotten her.

Kagome stared morosely out and up into the sky, catching the waning moon. In a few days, it would be the new moon.

She sighed, capturing the half-demon's attention.

"What's up?"

The girl glanced at him from the corner of her eye, feeling strangely at peace despite what had happened. "Nothing much."

"I see…" Inuyasha fought to keep himself from demanding just what kind of a relationship there'd been before her and the wolf.

After all, it wasn't like he _cared_.

Of _course not_.

His interests in the miko were **strictly** professional…

And as in 'professional', he meant…

…

He didn't know what he meant.

Kagome turned her full attention to the hanyou and she found herself staring at him for a lot longer than necessary. The light of the moon was little, but it shone off of his silver hair, illuminating it and making him look almost otherworldly. Shining golden-amber eyes seemed to glow and his face was set in its ever scowling expression.

She felt herself drifting closer, but at the same time, was so caught up in his image that she barely noticed herself moving. It was only when her hand had moved on the grass that she looked down.

She stared at her hand and felt a sudden plummeting in her heart. An almost unbelievable pain struck her chest and for the first time in, literally, centuries, Kagome felt supernatural tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.

'Oh… oh gods."

Her hand… it had slid right through his.

'Oh gods, I'm… I'm…'

She found that she longed to feel his rough skin on hers, but of course, she couldn't because…

'I'm… d-dead…'

For the first time since she had died, Kagome truly understood that she was really… truly… **dead**. She couldn't touch Inuyasha and she couldn't touch anything here because she was…

'I'm… dead…'

But, getting past the initial shock, she realised that that wasn't the only thing that caused the pain in her heart and another jolt of shock spread through her soul.

'And…'

Slowly, the girl withdrew her shaking hand, watching as it slid right out of his.

'And I'm…'

She edged back, gaze still on his hand. She watched it with a bemused expression, almost as if she didn't know what was going on herself.

'I'm falling in love…'

Slowly, she began to stand up.

'I'm falling love with… Inuyasha…'

How could she have let that happen? How could she have let her defences down despite what had happened in the past? Inwardly, the spirit barked out a short, humorless laugh.

'How… how ironic.'

Kagome stood up abruptly and turned around, wanting to run away from it all.

Inuyasha followed suit and called after her. He had watched out of the corner of his eye as she had edged closer. He hadn't said anything and strangely almost _wanted_ her to be closer. He'd watched her eyes glanced down and seen as something akin to panic entered her eyes.

Panic and distress.

Then she'd backed away and stood up.

"Wait up!" He jumped to land in front of the startled spirit. "What's wrong with you?"

Kagome shook her head and tried to walk past him and into the dark forest.

Inuyasha reached out, intending to grasp her arm, but of course, his hand only sailed through hers. There was a moment of surprise as he recalled that she was dead- he'd forgotten, before he recovered. "What's up?"

The contact, or more accurately, lack of contact, seemed to cause the girl even more distress as she closed her eyes and backed away, beginning to fade away as only spirits can.

"Hey- wait!" the hanyou made another grab, this time as unsuccessful as the last. "Don't leave!"

But it was too late.

Kagome had left and he was alone in the garden.

He cursed.

Something was up with that woman, and he'd find out what.

Eventually.

* * *

Review Responses:

-- ChAnDrA16  
Well, 'ease' would be 'comfortable'. 'Less' would be 'Without' and '-ly' makes it a pronoun, so 'easelessly' would mean, 'without comfort'. -.-;; Shifted the positions? How so? Do you mean Naraku's transformations?

-- humble bumble  
Eww, indeed. Oh, but Kouga's not dead. He's just in Naraku… which really isn't any better than death… 'Do you have the willpower to kill me, considering who rests inside of me..." Kouga's in Naraku and if Kagome kills Naraku, she kills Kouga. Atitoki? Who's that? How did Kagome know Houjo? Will be explained later.  
Ah. And your long awaited fluff will not be here… just yet.

-- ever free  
Yes. Something did happen. Actually… a lot of things. How is Inuyasha going to fall in love with a ghost? Isn't he already? Well, I've heard of people who fall in love with non-existent people so falling in love with a ghost really isn't that far fetched…

-- Kibo  
I've only read two of the 'Dark is Rising' series. I own 'The Dark is Rising' and I borrowed 'Greenwitch' from the library… I can't seem to find the other ones… but I imagine they're good. I has proper grammar and speeling? (Had to do that…=)) And the typos do get annoying since I find them in the posted version (on ) when I read through it, but I'm too lazy to go to the saved copy to correct it… -.-;;

-- SkyWolf  
What say you to the complexity now?

-- Mental Monkey  
Oh… Kouga's not dead… not _exactly_… Sango is pregnant, but what is she going to do now? And… um… yeah. Kouga's not dead, but well… …  
You'll see.

-- White Dloud  
Oh, but I _did_ make Kagome like Kouga enough to kiss him… but recent developments make that sort of null and void, no? Was this complicated enough? Ahh… Sub-plots… And don't worry… I'll know what to write next- as long as I read my own story once in a while.

x-x

Many Thanks To:

hanyou-elf (bring her back… only if she _wants_ to come back…)

LadyAkina

Samieko (how indeed…)

remix-69er

snowecat

bubbles =)

sapphire pink (…)

Sarcasm Girl8

Poison Death Tree

Kag of the Sengoku Forest

Fiery Demon Fox

lady lilacks

ebony

4kagome

* * *

[Alas, drama comes before fluff and trust me… there's going to some more of it… XD

Me bought Ranma1/2 book. My go buy another Ranma1/2 book after me post this.

Me have new mouse! =)

Till next time…

Ja!]


	16. Momentary Calm

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

x-x

-- Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

But it was too late.

Kagome had left and he was alone in the garden.

He cursed.

Something was up with that woman, and he'd find out what.

x-x

****

Chapter SIXTEEN:

Momentary Calm

x-x

"Damn it, woman! Let me in!" Inuyasha pounded on the large double doors, achieving no results, whatsoever. "What the hell has gotten into you?"

The previous night, after Kagome had disappeared with no apparent reason, the hanyou had left the garden after calling out for the vanished spirit. He'd stopped because- after all, he rationalised, wouldn't she be more co-operative in the morning? Besides, he'd had to check up on Miroku.

He soon found out he shouldn't have left at all.

It turned out that Miroku had gone into seclusion in his room, not permitting anyone to bother his meditation (or so he called it). Only a shaken Sango was allowed access once to retrieve her belongings. She chosen to stay in the room directly beside her boyfriend's.

It seemed as though the woman had been less than enthusiastic about the idea of Miroku being alone somewhere, with a newly cursed hand. It also looked like she'd had many more things on her mind- although Inuyasha hadn't had the heart to find out what.

He would have been worried about the monk, if it hadn't been for the fact that he knew the guy had more sense than to do anything drastic. The human probably just needed some time alone to gather his wits- much like how everybody else was doing. And at any case, if anything did go wrong, Inuyasha would be there in a snap.

Right now, however, he had a slightly bigger problem on his hands.

"Come on, bi- Kagome!" He quickly guarded his language, knowing that it would do nothing but piss off the spirit even more. "… Don't make me say it!"

As soon as he had awoken, the half-demon had sprinted through the hallways, past a sleepy Sango at Miroku's door, and to the back of his yard. Kagome had had an entire night to think, so she _should_ have gotten over whatever it was that had disturbed her.

"'Cause I will! **I will say it!**"

Upon arriving at the entrance, however, Inuyasha discovered that no such thing had happened. In fact, it turned out that the diseased miko had conveniently sealed the entrance on him. All morning he'd been shouting, and had all morning, he'd gotten nothing in response- not even a 'No' from inside the garden!

"All right! You made me do it! Here it is…" Inuyasha closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. "…Please?"

Unfortunately, even his somewhat forced politeness drew nothing but silence from within the stone walls. The half-demon waited; waited for anything that might signify _some_ crumbling of Kagome's stubborness.

Nothing.

He drew in a deep breath, calming himself.

Using a voice softer than he'd used all morning, the half-demon called out. "Just… let me in, will ya? I just want to…" he hesitated. "…talk."

Nothing.

"Uhh…Get something?"

No reply.

"I need to… sweep the area for clues?"

He sighed.

Inuyasha knew he _could_ use Tetsusaiga to break the seal, but even then, if Kagome didn't want to talk to him, she could easily disappear on him again. And- besides, he'd learned that using force against that woman- or _any_ woman, come to that- would only make her more stubborn.

"It's like a Chinese finger trap…" he muttered to himself. The more force one used, the more stuck he would be.

Although the analogy was somewhat misplaced and random, it did fit in his situation.

"What did I do? Come on! Whatever it was, I didn't mean it…"He rubbed one sharp canine against his lip- a habit he'd picked up as a kid. Although any cuts that it caused healed immediately, the rubbing did leave a perceptible groove in his lower lip.

Had he really done something wrong?

Maybe he'd hurt her feelings… or… (he scowled) maybe she really did prefer that wolf guy…?

Inuyasha forcibly pushed that thought away along with the twinge of doubt and jealousy that it had incurred.

"I am _not_ jealous." He grumbled under his breath. "That stupid idiot… playing with a girl's feelings like that… _anybody_ would be angry." He nodded to himself. "That's right. I'm not jealous… just… pissed… off…"

Righteous anger, indeed.

A few seconds passed.

He cursed under his breath. "Ah screw it." Inuyasha glared at the magnificent doors and drew up his voice to its loudest volume. "Let me in! Let me in! Let me in! Let me in! Let me in! Let me in! Let me in! Let me the fuck in!" The tirade soon lost its intensity as a throb began at his temples.

Inuyasha half-pouted, half-frowned at the doors. "It always worked on the servants…" Memories flooded his mind of when as a child, he'd thrown countless tantrums after the deaths of both parents. The servants- mostly demons who were forever bound in servitude to the inu-family- simply bent in to his wants. Although this _had_ given him a rather opportunity to develop into a spoiled brat, the rest of his life, that is to say, his life _out of his home_, had more than grounded him to the real world.

He sighed and spoke once more to the unresponding girl. "I'm going to get some breakfast. I'm going to check on Miroku and Sango. I'm going to straighten up my…" He paused for thought. "My central room-ie thingy. And when I get back here, I'm coming in, whether you like it or not."

And with that, the hanyou promptly turned tail and stormed away. Confusion darkened his face and a strange heaviness rested on his chest, but he'd given all that he'd could, and now, he could only wait. However, that didn't mean he wasn't going to let the matter rest.

Oh no.

Sooner or later, that spirit would crack, and he would find out everything.

So absorbed in his thoughts was Inuyasha, that he failed to notice Sango, who had been watching him. Her eyes followed his path to the side of his house and watched as he slid open the door. She checked that he had really entered the house, and upon confirming that, stole towards the garden.

* * *

Kagome paced.

She put her hands to her forehead.

She clenched and unclenched her fists.

She wrung her hands.

She was nervous.

She was confused.

She was afraid.

The miko looked desperately towards the doors, knowing that at any moment, a furious hanyou could come storming in. At the moment, he was content with shouting at her- and she was content with ignoring him. The barrier she'd erected wasn't nearly as strong as the original one, and besides- Inuyasha already had the means to get through obstructions. At any moment, he could choose to draw Tetsusaiga, and force some answers out of her.

But then- why was she keeping him out in the first place?

Biting her lip, Kagome rubbed her hands together.

Ever since her sudden personal revelation the previous night, she hadn't known what to do.

Everything left her so confused- since Naraku showed up, her 'life' had made no sense whatsoever. What was she supposed to do? Problem after problem popped up in her head, each more serious than the previous.

If she killed Naraku, then Kouga and who-knew-how-many-others would die as well.

But then, she argued back, wouldn't death be better than being trapped for eternity?

Besides, giving the shape-shifter the Shikon no Tama was absolutely out of the question- who knew what kind of chaos _that_ would cause?

However, just the mention of the jewel of four souls offered a new problem: Where was it?

She was certain that it was somewhere in the garden- the spiritual links she had with it told her that, but for some reason, she was… afraid.

Afraid of finding it.

Kagome didn't know why, but something deep within her told her that she _really_ didn't want to know where it was.

A small voice at the back of her head offered an explanation.

"If you find it, that might means you won't be needed anymore, and you'll have to move on…" Almost in a whisper, it added, "and you won't get to see **him** again…"

She pushed it away and summoned up a dose of pretended indignation. "What the heck would I want to see **him** for, anyway?" She scowled. "The rude, arrogant, foul-mouthed jerk… with the nicest hair… and the cutest ears…" The miko's scowl deepened before her expression softened. "It's a losing battle, isn't it?" She sighed.

Suddenly, a thought struck her.

What if… he thought she was angry at him? That she was ignoring him because he'd done something wrong? A truckload of pity and guilt fell over her.

As if confirming this thought, his voice called out, "What did I do? Come on! Whatever it was, I didn't mean it…"

Another wave of panic washed over her.

Did he really think it was his fault?

She thought about.

Well, maybe it _was_…

…

Kind of.

After all, it _was_ him who'd insisted on knocking down the ancient barrier.

It _was_ him who'd insisted on talking with her and filling her in (roughly) on what had happened over the past five hundred years.

And maybe, just maybe, it was _his_ _fault_ that he was one of the most physically attractive and well-built specime-

The miko slapped her forehead, forcing the mental images away.

"Get over it, Kagome." She muttered to herself. "So what if he's cute? Does it matter? Noooo…"

She quickly forced her mind to clear.

As of now, she knew only one thing: that if she didn't do something quick, she would get even more emotionally involved with the hanyou… and she _really_ couldn't let that happen. Dozens of reasons popped up in her head.

"Me being dead being one of them…" she muttered dryly. "Okay, Kagome. Think. What are you going to do?" Her previously level voice sprung into a quiet wail as the confusion enveloped her again.

"I'm going to get some breakfast. I'm going to check on Miroku and Sango. I'm going to straighten up my…" A pause. "My central room-ie thingy. And when I get back here, I'm coming in, whether you like it or not."

Inuyasha's voice came from behind the stone walls and the spirit breathed a sigh of relief.

At least that would buy her some time. Hopefully, by the time he got back, Kagome will have gotten her thoughts back in order, and figured out what to do. And even if that didn't involve her situation with the hanyou, at least she would be able to figure out what to do with Naraku.

Kagome'd noted the almost disappointed note in his voice, and silently promised that she would have something down by the time he got back.

He didn't deserve to suffer.

From what she'd heard, he'd already suffered enough- at the hands of hundreds of prejudice people.

However, just when the spirit was about to relax, a soft knock was heard on at the doors.

She started and stared in amazement at the entranceway. Kagome'd known that he'd been fast, but… _that_ fast?

Or maybe he'd chosen to stay and annoy her instead?

Before any other possibilities could invade her mind, a soft, undoubtedly **feminine** voice called out.

"Kagome-chan? Can I come in? Please?"

The girl in question blinked in confusion as a momentary blank was drawn in her mind. She started towards the doors- before a sudden suspicious idea sprung up.

She paused mid-stride.

As if sensing what she was thinking, Sango hastily added, "Inuyasha's gone. I swear. He's just left. It's just me." She paused, and in a smaller voice, said, "I need your help."

Kagome cautiously felt out with her aura, and feeling no presence of youki, put a temporary gap in her barrier. She floated towards the doors and quietly pushed one outward. Through the opening, the spirit could see the slightly pale face of her new friend. Wide magenta eyes looked at her secrecy with question as Kagome's eyes did a quick sweep of the area outside.

No hanyou.

Strangely enough, this didn't so much make her relieved, than it made her feel strangely disappointed.

He'd actually left.

The miko quickly stepped aside, letting Sango in before promptly shutting the door again and closing the barrier. She made it secure once more before stepping back.

The two women stared at each other for a short while before they simultaneously turned away, embarrassed. Kagome clasped her hands.

"So… You wanted my help?"

This seemed to break the ice, as Sango promptly turned to her friend with a desperate gleam in her eye. "I don't know what to do!"

'That makes the both of us…' She chased away that gloomy thought. "What don't you know?"

The magenta-eyed girl plopped down onto the ground, clenching her fists in a show of frustration, but the teeth biting her lips signified a deeper anxiety. Kagome lowered herself onto the grass next to her. "Well… Where should I start?" She closed her eyes. "I guess… well…"

The miko watched sympathetically as Sango tried several more times to start her train of thought. A light of understanding had blinked on in her mind as she watched, and her own troubles were temporarily forgotten.

In a soft voice, she interrupted, "Is this about the baby?"

The woman suddenly broke off and stared at the spirit in absolute astonishment. Her mouth opened and her lips moved, but no sounds came out.

Finally, Sango managed a strangled, "What?"

Kagome found her shock slightly amusing, but silently reprimanded herself. What Sango was going through was nothing to laugh about. She offered a kind smile instead. "No offense or anything, but… it was kind of obvious."

This seemed not to be the best thing to say as the woman promptly turned an even paler shade of grey than she was before. "Obvious?" Her voice was nearing the hysterical level. "It was obvious? What if- Does he-…?"

The miko's eyes widened and she hastily waved her hands. "No! That's not what I meant!"

Sango looked at her with wide eyes, but the colour began to return to her cheeks. "It wasn't?"

"No. What I meant was…" Kagome paused. "Well, back before, when I was… you know… alive?" A slightly sadder smile turned her lips. "When I was a miko for my village?"

The other nodded silently.

"I was trained to recognise illnesses and to treat them." She quickly added, "Not that pregnancy is an illness or anything, but…" Kagome cleared her throat. "Yeah. A lot of the times, when Kikyou-sama delivered a baby, I was there to help." She shrugged. "I've just become used to the signs." She grinned in good nature. "I doubt Miroku would be able to tell anything in the first few weeks."

Curious, Sango leaned in. "What signs?"

The miko shrugged again. "Well, usually, when a woman knows she's pregnant, she rubs her stomach a lot." She pointed to the other. "Like you're doing now."

A small smile turned Sango's lips as she blushed slightly. "I guess I have been doing that a lot… It's just so…" She broke off.

"Exciting?" Kagome nodded. "Yeah, I guess. There's just something with knowing there's a baby growing inside of you…" In a sudden air of maternal sadness, she drifted off. She sighed. 'I'll never get to feel that happiness…' The spirit shook her head and glanced back towards Sango. "And, even though they're not as constant as they will be, you've had a few mood swings."

Sango nodded.

The miko paused and frowned. "You… _want_ the child, don't you?"

Blinking in surprise, the woman stared at her. "Of course I do!"

"Then… what's your problem?"

This question brought a sudden wave of tension in Sango. She needed to say just one word: "Naraku."

Kagome winced. "Right. Naraku." A frown marred her face as her thoughts turned to the newly cursed Miroku. The miko concentrated, sorting through her vast knowledge of curses and how to counter them. However, she came up empty. "I really don't know how to lift his curse… other than by killing Naraku."

The woman closed her eyes sadly. "I thought you'd say that." She looked up. "But… do you think… that…" She looked down at the tiny, almost insignificant bulge of her stomach.

The miko sighed. "There's nothing you have to worry about now." She glanced at Sango and smiled in a false show of calmness. As a priestess and guardian, she'd learned how to school her face. Although she didn't like to do it, the talent did prove to be useful. "The curse may be hereditary, but… the child won't be born with it." Kagome struggled with her next words. "What I mean is…"

"He - or she- will get the wind tunnel when Miroku dies." Sango's voice was quiet and laced with pain.

Kagome nodded sadly.

The woman looked up. "But… that won't happen right?" A faint sign of waning hope shone in her eyes.

"We'll defeat Naraku." A sudden, fierce determined light entered Kagome's eyes. "I promise you. We'll defeat him." If she could have, she would have grasped Sango's hands, but she couldn't. So, she settled to put all of her emotion into words rather than actions.

Sango, however, wasn't as convinced. "Will we?" Her eyes became slightly unfocused.

There was momentary paused in the conversation, and Kagome struggled to bring the mood to a lighter area. "Well… ahh…"

Her friend seemed to shake herself awake. A slightly embarrassed smile brightened her expression. "Sorry about that." She looked around the garden, obviously looking for a way to change the subject. "So… Doesn't it get lonely in here?"

Kagome half-shrugged. "I never really had too many friends in the village, but," she sighed, "I did get lonely, I guess." A brief smile graced her face, "But then Inuyasha broke through the seal, and now I've got some people to talk to." However, her own unexpected mention of the hanyou brought a few more painful thoughts into her mind, and she hastily pushed them away.

Sango bit her lip and tentatively stepped into dangerous waters. "I saw him banging at the door."

Almost immediately, the miko stiffened. "Did you?" Her tone had dropped several degrees in warmth as it took on a more guarded tone.

"Why didn't you let him in?" She countered Kagome's play for more time with a question. "You let me in."

Kagome didn't reply for a minute. She almost considered lying, but reminded herself that Sango had been truthful to her. "I guess…" She paused, and her voice shrank. "I realised something yesterday." She stopped and corrected herself. "I guess I'd always known, somehow, but it just never really sank in."

All the while, she'd been skirting around just what she'd realised, but Sango thought she might have had a clue. Suddenly, the hanyou's sullen and withdrawn mood when he'd returned to his mansion made a lot more sense.

But, she kept silent.

"And… I… I think I'm afraid." The miko voiced her thoughts for the first time. "I afraid of what's going to- what might happen."

Sango looked at her sympathetically and thought that, perhaps, Kagome's predicament was equal to her own. "Just what did you realise?" She gave her friend the choice to tell of her own discretion.

Kagome took in a deep breath and realised, it probably would be best to tell Sango. After all, who else was there? Not Miroku, and certainly not the hanyou himself. "I think I…" She sighed before mumbling something.

Her friend laughed lightly. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Kagome." Her expression grew serious. "But just remember- we're friends, right?"

The miko nodded.

"And you trust me, right?"

She nodded again.

"Then always remember that I'll always be here for you."

Kagome smiled sadly. "Not always. 'Always' is too long. Don't make promises that involve the word 'always'. You can't ever keep them."

Sango sighed at her friend's theological mood. "You know what I mean." She smiled. "I'll be here whenever I can."

"I guess so." In a sudden rush, almost like water breaking through a dam, Kagome spilled her secret. "I think I'm in love."

There was slight pause in sound. Sango kept back a grin, managing to keep her face straight.

The miko sighed. "That sounded cheesier than I thought it would."

The magenta-eyed woman played for more time, wanting to hear everything from Kagome's lips. "Who's the lucky guy?"

However, although her tone and question had obviously been light, the spirit looked up sharply, her mouth in a sudden line. "I think that's kind of obvious." She flinched at her own tone and softened. "Sorry. I'm just kind of… nervous."

"Yeah. Nervous… anxious… " Sango's tone was deliberately forced and light, and she decided not to press too much for the moment. "I'm just going to say one more thing: I think he'd like to know how you feel." When Kagome opened her mouth, she raised her hands. "That's it." She checked her watch. "And now, I'm going to check up on Miroku." She stood, thinking hard.

The expression on Kaogme's face when she'd snapped had been… so unlike the girl she'd gotten to know so far. It was different from her character, and yet, strangely fitted the girl. It reminded Sango that Kagome still had so many secrets of her own. She'd existed for so long with no companionship, that perhaps, she was still struggling with showing more than she dared to others.

The spirit stood up with her. "Did I offend you?" Her voice was soft, apoligetic.

Sango looked back. "No." She bowed her head. "I've just got a lot to think about now."

The two walked to the heavy wooden doors, and Kagome broke the barrier. As Sango left through the double doors, the miko sought to offer a last piece of advice. "Miroku would like to know." And with that, she slowly closed the doors.

This time, however, she didn't renew the seal.

No.

The talk with Sango had made her realise something.

Although she had participated in the conversation, her mind had been elsewhere.

She'd done some thinking, and she'd finally come up with an answer as to what she'd do. Kagome's mouth set itself into a line as the decision sunk in.

There were bigger things at stake here than her own happiness.

* * *

Inuyasha grunted as he lifted the heavy bookcase.

"What- The- Hell- Is- This-… This- Thing- Made- Of?"

With another strong heave, the hanyou finally straightened bookshelf… only to watch it topple in the opposite direction. Thankfully enough, the opposite direction happened to contain a wall, which prevented the shelf from crashing to the floor a second time.

It was one of the few that had remained in one piece after the destruction. The books and scrolls that had been shredded beyond saving had all been shoved into a corner. However, those that seemed to be in a better condition had been put into a careful pile near the centre of the room.

He stood up, wiping his brow.

Inuyasha had been up to cleaning the room for a good half-hour and more. So far, he'd gotten through the weaponry and was halfway finished with the book room. Now that the last shelf had been righted, all that remained was sorting more carefully through the books, and sweeping the area- tasks that the half-demon was not looking forward to.

Just then, his ears caught the sound of the outer doors sliding open and footsteps. The half-demon turned just in time to watch as the door to the central chamber opened- and Higurashi-san stopped dead in the middle of the entrance, his broom clattering to the floor.

His eyes wide, the old priest's eyes swept over the damage scene, his face draining of colour. His jaw went slack, but when he caught sight of the somewhat guilty looking Inuyasha, his left arm came up, a shaking finger pointing at him.

"Yooouu!" The word came out stretched and unnaturally high. "What did you do?"

Inuyasha raised his hands and blinked. "I didn't do anything." He looked around, realising that it really didn't look good. "Really."

"This is all that is left of Izayoi-sama's legacy, and it's almost in ruins!" Higurashi's pupils contracted as he saw the pile of scrolls. He hurried towards them. "The scrolls!" His tone was raising. "Hundreds of years worth of scrolls!" His hand grabbed a few shreds of paper. "Destroyed!" The old man turned to face Inuyasha. "If this wasn't you, then who was it?"

He tossed the confetti over the half-demon's head.

Inuyasha stared at him before opening his mouth. He chose to speak slowly. Not only would that allow the old man more thought processing time, it would also let Inuyasha himself choose his words carefully. "Well… you see, there was this bad demon, and he kind of came in and… broke everything."

Perhaps speaking as though he were confronting an angry toddler hadn't been the best method, but the words seemed to have their effect on Higurashi. "A demon?" His voice shook. "A demon did this?"

Before he could make another accusation, Inuyaha hurriedly added, "Yeah. A _full-blooded_ demon."

"How dare they." The shock abruptly left the elder's face, to be replaced by a burning anger. "They had no right! This house is protected by an ancient spell- the demon couldn't have gotten in!"

The hanyou stared at him. "Whoa, hey. An ancient spell, you say?"

"Of course!" Higurashi waved his hands. "This house rests on sacred ground! It was blessed by a priestess hundreds of years ago!"

Inuyasha blinked, trying to make sense of the information, but came up blank. "Maybe the spell wore away. Or Naraku broke it." He frowned. It wasn't easy to break the spell of a priestess- no matter how ancient it was. Perhaps Naraku really as more powerful than he'd guessed.

The old man stared. "'Naraku'? Is he the one responsible for this?"

"Yeah… yeah." The half-demon nodded absently. "That' s the one." He began rubbing canine against lip again. After a few seconds of silence, Inuyasha suddenly looked up as another person appeared in the doorway.

A tired, sleep-deprived Miroku appeared in the doorway. He hadn't changed out of his clothes from yesterday, and his hair was slightly dishevelled.

Inuyasha stared at him in surprise.

The monk bowed, stifling a yawn. "Good morning, Inuyasha, Higurashi-san." As a response to the hanyou's questioning look, he slimed tiredly. "I did a lot of thinking last night and…" He looked at his right hand, the smile becoming somewhat strained. "Maybe the curse isn't so bad."

"Maybe it isn't so bad?" The half-demon echoed his words. "Are you sure about that?"

Miroku shrugged. "I looked for the positive side, and after all, isn't it a weapon?" He rubbed the light blue beads. "Naraku may have given me a curse, but I might be able to use it to my advantage."

At this news, Higurashi stared some more. "You…? A curse?" He sat down heavily onto the floor. "Just what's going on?"

But then, any answer that may have come was interrupted as somebody else burst into the room.

Sango looked around, puzzled. "Ah… good morning everybody."

Higurashi nodded absently. "Good morning."

Her eyes fell on her boyfriend. "Miroku! I was looking for you, and your door was open!" She scowled at him. "I was worried! What if something'd happened to you? What if you'd done something stupid?" Her eyes filled with tears. "You know how you do stupid things!"

The man, momentarily stunned by her sudden mood swing, hurried over to her, stumbling in his haste. "Don't cry. I just got a cup of coffee." A brief look of hurt indignation flashed across his face. "And what do you mean 'how I do stupid things?'"

Sango brushed it aside, turning to the slightly bored hanyou. The tears had almost magically disappeared. "Inuyasha. I need to borrow your car."

The hanyou stared at her along with a surprised Miroku. "Why?"

"I'm going into the city to get some things." The woman paused. "My… equipment."

Inuyasha looked at her without recognition before it dawned.

Her extermination equipment.

"Oh. Right. All right. Sure." He searched the pockets of his pants (the same pair he'd worn yesterday) and tossed the keys to her.

"Thanks."

Just when she had almost left the room, Miroku called to her. "Wait."

She stopped and looked back. "What?" She looked at him with a look of slight apprehension.

He didn't pause to wonder about that, but instead, moved on. "I'm coming with you."

"Oh." The woman frowned briefly before a slightly uncertain and nervous smile spread across her face. "Sure. I… have to tell you something anyway."

Miroku looked at her before a smile spread across his face. "Is it a surprise?"

"You could…" Sango swallowed, her expression becoming somewhat strained. "You could call it that."

Inuyasha walked over to them, his face set seriously. "Do me a favour."

Grateful for the distraction, Sango looked at him. "Yeah?"

"Go to Sesshoumaru." The half-demon made no effort to blemish his brother's name. He dug into his pocket and drew out a wrinkled sheet of paper. "Here's his number." Inuyasha stared determinedly at his friends. "Bring him here."

Startled by the half-demon request, it took a while before Miroku slowly took the piece of paper. "You want him here? In your mother's house?"

"Yeah." The hanyou didn't say anything else, and turned to look at Higurashi. "You, go to your house, or where ever it is that you live, and stay there." His face was set as he gave out the order. "Things are going to get a lot messier than this."

"And… what are you going to do?" Sango's slightly uncertain question made Inuyaha look north.

His golden eyes were hard.

"I have something to do."

* * *

Review Responses: 

-- White Dloud  
You probably don't even remember your question, do you? -.-;; Well, it was something along the lines of how Kagome was going to deal with her feelings: Find out in chapter 17!

-- sapphire pink  
You asked about my (now not very) new mouse. It's neither laser nor cordless. But it's very good… although the scroller isn't compatible with my computer… -.-;; And how does Naraku know Sango's pregnant? Well, I'm assuming that he has better senses than humans, like any other demon, and he can sense (smell) that she's pregnant. Although, how he can get past his own stink is beyond me…

-- LuminescentWings0127  
Re: Ok, well, I won't say I'm not mad, cause I am, but I suppose you do have a reason for this. Now, why am I mad? I'm mad because Kagome is becoming the personage of Inuyasha. I mean it seems like Kagome, Kouga, Inuyasha love triangle thing is WAY too much like Kikyo's and Inu's and Kags. Also, I'm not too happy with the fact that KOUGA is the one you paired her up with, but oh well, cant do much about that now can I? Though I'd like to say smething before you go and either go and do it or throw it out the door. Now, Kag needs to find her body right? Well, I think that Inuyasha should find it, its just more dramatic that way... Anyhow, my cousins gonna be here so I gotta go. Pleas think about that and no this is not a flame. (Just in case you thought it was)

Answer: Kind of, not really. I suppose it is a little like that, but this story is somewhat based on parallels with the series. Of course, Kagome isn't Inuyasha, and obviously, the end effect will be different. And- If not Kouga, then who else? I doubt that bringing in an original character would have had the effect Kouga had on the readers, and an anybody else in the series would just be so… un-dramatic, no? ;) Ah. Inuyasha find body? I'm not letting you in my secret just yet… XD

-- Kibo  
Re: I bought the boxed set... one of the best characters is introduced in "The Grey King", and "Silver on the Tree", the last one, is by far the best... so if you can track them down somewhere, it's a worthy purchase! Haha... guess I ranted a little that night, ne? Hey, like I said, typos are an affliction we all live with! So, how do these two end up together? Cuz I know Inu's not going to be satisfied with a ghost!

Answer: Oh. What a coincidence! I just finished reading 'The Grey King'. Yes, I guess you're talking about Bran, no? He is pretty cool- I had no idea this series was going to have Arthurian ties. (-.-;;) I'm looking for the last book… D Of course he won't be satisfied with a ghost… but how's he going to get the girl?

--

**Many Thanks To:**

Samieko

NordicaVB

humble bumble

remix69-er (Ranma1/2! D)

hanyou-elf (I've kind of… broken my good updating record, haven't I? -.-;;)

Elfin Kagome

ChAnDrA16 (fluff later… promise)

Fiery Demon Fox

Izayoi (Is there no way to save the baby? Perhaps there is)

SkyWolf

ever free

Sarcasm Girl8

Mental Monkey (Yes, well, I light angst.)

ebony

lady lilacks

Jalison

silentstarlight

cool-chick-rae

Saffire Kiss

Bubbles ())

Master of Disaster (nice name)

--

Ah, so I skimped on some of the reviews… -.-;;

--

--Such a long wait!

Gomen Nasai!

I really am. Maybe now, I'll be able to get my schedule back? Well, I'm hoping that the next chapter will come at a more regular interval… Keep in mind: that if my updates aren't coming, there's usually a reasonable reason (excuse) on my bio. )

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! 

Zhong Qiu Jie (Hao)!

::sigh:: is really screwing with my formatting...

Ah. There go my parents.

I'm breaking 'curfew'.

Till next time…

Ja!--


	17. Surprise, Surprise

Disclaimer: I've set my eyes on a set of Inuyasha figurines… When I get those, I'll work towards the whole shabang. : D

x-x

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

x-x

-- Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

"And… what are you going to do?" Sango's slightly uncertain question made Inuyaha look north.

His golden eyes were hard.

"I have something to do."

x-x

****

Chapter SEVENTEEN:

Surprise, Surprise

x-x

All three humans shot uncertain looks at the unusually serious hanyou before deciding to carry out his 'orders'. The old man, Higurashi was the first to go. He padded softly out of the room, still looking slightly dazed and mumbling to himself. There was the noise of the shouji door sliding open and shut- and then silence.

Miroku raised an eyebrow, but decided that it really wasn't the time or place to comment on how Inuyasha was acting suspiciously like his brother. Keeping his mouth shut, the man slowly eased Sango away and out, across the threshold.

She hesitated.

"Let's go."

Sango looked at him, then at Inuyasha, before agreeing silently. The two quietly exited the house, leaving the hanyou alone.

Inuyasha waited a few minutes, listening carefully as his car started up. He heard as it rolled down the dirt road and onto the pavement. As soon as the distant humming of the engine had faded away, the hanyou took one last glance north before he too, left the main chamber.

The half-demon strolled determinedly through the hallway, feeling unusually devoid of emotion. It was almost as if he had reached complete enlightenment. A claw-tipped hand rested almost unconsciously on Tetsusaiga; the feel of the handle was strangely calming to him.

Unlike his normal habit, Inuyasha didn't hurry, but took his time in walking towards the garden. He didn't bang through the side doors as he usually would have done; the hanyou took the time to slide it open slowly before closing it at the same pace.

However, the closer he got to the garden, the hastier his steps became. All too soon, the hanyou felt his cool demeanour evaporating. In one sense, he was relieved that he was beginning to feel more like himself. On the other hand however, the stoical attitude had given him a feeling of power and confidence, and that too, was vanishing.

By the time Inuyasha had reached the tall wooden doors, the customary scowl was back on his face, and his lips were once again turned down in a pout. Just for good measure, he glared at the entranceway.

So preoccupied was the half-demon with looking resentfully at the inanimate object, that he failed to notice that he could no longer feel the presence of Kagome's barrier. While it had been up, a soft, barely tangible throb had pulsed around the perimeter, but now, everything was quiet and very, very still.

He slid his eyes upwards and back down again before shouting at the wall. "I'm back!" His voice was half-threatening. "So, ready or not…"

Bracing his body for any shock that could come, Inuyasha ran forward at full speed, crashing against the door with his shoulder. Unfortunately, because the door was fully accessible, the act resulted in the door being slammed open with far more force than necessary.

The hanyou's eyes widened in an expression of surprise, before they quickly squeezed tight. His momentum had carried him clear through the entrance and with nothing but a few clumsy steps in a fight for balance, Inuyasha found himself falling.

He soon found himself with a mouth full of grass.

"Scr—ew it." The half-demon muttered through the mouthful. "Screw it all." He spit it all out, coughing.

The ending position of his less than graceful entrance had, strangely enough, been a full spread-eagle on the grass floor. Behind him, Inuyasha could hear the wooden doors swing back into place- apparently none the worse for wear.

"That's funny." A soft voice floated down over doggy-ears. "And I didn't even have to do anything this time."

Mumbling darkly, the hanyou waited for the pain in his chin to subside before getting up with a huff. He brushed himself off, noticing with painful realisation, that his clothes were, once again, covered in grass stains. Inuyasha glanced up after a short pause, fixing a glower onto the girl in front of him.

Kagome looked at him with a faint air of amusement, her arms crossed.

The half-demon mirrored her stance. "What's the big idea?"

"Big idea?" The miko faked confusion. "What big idea? I though you'd wanted me to open the door." Her demeanour became indignant. "But if you didn't want that, then I'll gladly re-erect the barrier." She raised an eyebrow at him.

Inuyasha stared at her, finding the spark of hilarity in her eyes to be oddly enticing.

He shook his head discretely, reminding himself of his mission.

"You could have warned me." The tone that had been planned as strong and domineering came out sounding rather resentful instead.

Kagome carelessly waved a hand. "You aren't hurt…" She frowned. "…Are you?"

He snorted. "Like a fall could have hurt me. Jeesh."

With that said and done, silence abruptly sunk over the two.

Kagome suddenly found that it was somewhat hard to keep eye contact with the hanyou. Instead of looking into his rather penetrating gaze, she chose to allow her eyes to wander. He however, seemed to be unaware of her discomfort, and continued to stare with an almost absurd amount of concentration.

It was as though he were trying to scrutinise her soul.

The miko wiggled her toes self-consciously.

She quickly ran over the words that she'd been planning to say in her head. Kagome had even practised in front of a tall tree, but it seemed as though all that had gone flying out of the proverbial window.

She tightened her fists. 'Come on, Kagome. Just…' Kagome sighed inwardly. 'Just get it over with.'

A sudden spurt of confidence spread through her, giving her the strength to look up, but as soon as her eyes met his, the confidence seemed to disappear.

"Well… Ah…" She paused. "Hi."

The spirit mentally kicked herself.

Hi?

They'd been in the same area for the past five minutes, and all she'd come up with was 'Hi'?

"Would… you like to sit down?"

Kagome could have slapped herself for acting how she did. What was she going to do next- offer him a cup of tea? It was almost as if he was a stranger she'd never met before and was trying to impress, although this situation was far more uncomfortable than their first meeting.

Inuyasha, however, remained silent and sat down where he was.

She looked at him with a half-nervous glance, wondering _why_ he hadn't said anything yet.

Wasn't he going to yell at her for locking him out?

Didn't he care that she'd been acting strangely?

Kagome cleared her throat. "So… how's Miroku-sama?" The spirit lowered herself onto the grass across from him, still not quite able to meet his eyes. "How is he dealing with the curse? An-- and Sango-chan. How's Sang-"

"Whatever you've got to say, say it already."

Her anxious gaze shot up to suddenly meet his keen one.

And she was rendered speechless.

Kagome just looked at him blankly before she finally managed to force herself to speak directly to the hanyou. "Wha- what?"

"You're acting weird." Inuyasha's arms remained crossed. "I'm not going to hurt you or anything… I couldn't do it if I tried, anyway." His expression was one of complete seriousness. "I know you, Kagome." She bit her lip at that. "You've got something to say, so say it."

Strangely enough, this unbidden source of support gave Kagome the courage she needed. "Okay." Her voice was quiet but firm. "You're right. I- I've got something to tell you."

The half-demon's expression remained unreadable.

"See, the thing is…" The girl paused, deciding to get right to the point. "I like you, okay?" She swallowed thickly. "I really like you- that is…" Kagome hesitated, searching for the right words. "I… have… feelings for you." She let out her breath.

Through all this, Kagome had managed to keep eye contact with the hanyou, but now that she had finally confessed, she couldn't help but stare down into her lap. She could feel her face turning red, and cursed the fact that although she didn't really have a physical body, per se, she could still blush.

Apart from the embarrassment, however, she could feel the underlying sense of relief that she had finally gotten at least part of her thoughts out.

Kagome waited for the response to come.

The silence stretched on.

She began to silently panic.

Why wasn't he saying anything?

"…That's it?" His voice, once again, made her gaze snap almost magnetically to his. "That's the reason you kept me out?" He blinked at her, lips twitching upwards. "I… don't mind."

Kagome's mind reeled.

He didn't mind?

She studied his expression carefully, looking for any sign that indicated that he was playing with her. But no, his look was one of complete sincerity. And incredulously to her, a small, slightly goofy smile drifted over his face.

As he looked at her, Inuyasha suddenly realised, with a bit of shock that he didn't feel anything but satisfaction. There was surprise, yes, but this was the good, 'It's a surprise party' kind of shock. The feeling was almost the same as the one he'd felt once as a young adult, when he'd finally left his old house and old memories behind. Only this feeling was far more intense, and far more meaningful.

He couldn't keep the silly grin from growing over his face, and at the moment, Inuyasha just couldn't figure out just _why_ he was so damned happy.

Instead of figuring that out, however, he chose, instead, to watch the expression of relief on her face.

"You… don't?" For a moment, Kagome felt the complete exhilaration of _not_ being rejected. She could feel the warmth growing in her chest and in her soul. A smile flowered over her lips, and she could have just thrown her arms around hi-

The grin abruptly faded from her face.

And seeing it disappear suddenly gave Inuyasha a bad feeling.

A very, very _bad_ feeling.

Kagome closed her eyes, feeling as the bubble that had been expanding in her burst painfully. She tried to keep the feeling inside, and almost couldn't stop the tears from filling her eyes.

"What-" Inuyasha looked at her, alarmed. "What's wrong-?" He blinked in absolute confusion, not knowing why she was acting this way- hadn't she been fine moments ago?

The miko raised her hand and her head, biting her lip in the effort to keep her internal pain inside.

She took a deep, calming breath.

"But…" Her voice shook slightly. "But I want to be your friend."

The words were few, but every one of them hit Inuyasha as heavy blows.

"Wha…what?" It was now his turn to be speechless.

Kagome looked at him, and her face suddenly became oddly blank, though tinged with sadness. "I'll be here for you… as your friend."

The hanyou stared at her, not quite comprehending. "What?" It seemed as though that was the only word he was capable of forcing from his frozen self.

She sighed. "I really like you… don't get me wrong." Kagome looked up at the sky. "But I can't promise to be anything but a friend to you. With Naraku…" Her lips quivered, and with a sudden burst of anger and frustration, she thrust her hand out. "Look at me!" She raised the hand so that sunlight could be seen streaming through it. "I'm not even alive!"

In his turn, Inuyasha grew angry as well, though why, he couldn't figure out at the moment. "So? That doesn't mean we can't-"

He'd cut himself off.

Eyes abruptly wide, the hanyou stared blankly into nothingness.

Just… _what _had he been about to say?

Did he actually _want_ for something to happen?

The hanyou tried to shrug it all off, but the sudden knowledge was suddenly extremely heavy. It was suffocating him, in a way.

'Since when… did I--?!'

Emotions that he'd almost never experienced in his entire lifetime flooded into him. Inuyasha frowned. They confused him. So he pushed them all away, and acted instead on raw instinct.

The hanyou glanced at the suddenly tired looking girl. Painfully, he realised that he _could_ see right through her. He'd just never really accepted that Kagome really was… dead. As he looked at her, it seemed as though centuries of pain had suddenly been revealed on her delicate features. The burden of having existed for five hundred years had become all too clear at this exact moment.

He didn't know what to say that would make her change her mind.

All of sudden, although he couldn't understand why, Inuyasha realised that he didn't want to be _just friends_.

Just friends wasn't going to cut it.

"No." His tone was quiet but strong. "No."

Kagome looked up, her eyebrows drawing together. "What?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

The half-demon looked at her with eyes that were both hard with determination and soft with some other emotion. He shook his head. "No. Just-… No." Inuyasha stood up.

Frustration made Kagome quiver, and pain made her eyes fill with supernatural tears. She closed her eyes tortuously.

Why was he making this so much harder than it had to be?

"What don't you get?" Her voice was rising in volume. "_Nothing_ can happen! Why can't you-"

"Shut up." Inuyasha glared at her with a hidden heat. "I'll find a way. You'll see.' He turned and began towards the doors.

"Mamoru-san, don't you walk away from me!" With more speed than she'd ever used, Kagome whirled in front of him in a sudden display of fury. "You _won't_ find a way, because there _is_ no way!"

The hanyou refused to listen to her anymore, and he promptly marched past her, reaching the entranceway. The miko's eyes widened in surprise mingled with furious indignation before they narrowed. She quickly threw her power against the door. When Inuyasha attempted to open them forcefully, the wood groaned, but didn't budge.

"You're not leaving!" The miko strained against the hanyou's physical strength. "You're not leaving until you understand!"

Kagome held fast. She wasn't going to let this go on. She was going to cut all the strings _right now_, so they could concentrate on other things.

Inuyasha bit down hard, and forced all his strength into pulling. He refused to speak. He refused to acknowledge her.

Damn it, if he wanted something, then he would get it.

Nobody would stand in the way of Mamoru Inuyasha.

Suddenly, several splinters separated from the doors, a sign that the wood was giving in to the forces being put against it. There was a groan, and abruptly, the strength in the old door gave away. The entire door split in half, crashing heavily to the ground.

Kagome's stumbled backwards as her power suddenly had nothing to act on. She caught herself just as she was about to pass through the ground, but the damage had been done. 'Breathing' heavily, the spirit shook from the momentary shock of the slingshot effect.

It had left her winded, and with a sense of fatigue that she had never experienced since her death. The miko stared at her hands, feeling them tingle almost painfully.

But then, she remembered- and looked up.

The door remained in splinters at the ground, and Inuyasha was gone.

Kagome shook with desperation, anger, and an assortment of other emotions. Angrily, she waved her hand at the broken door, willing them to join together-

-but nothing happened.

The girl stared in shock as the wood shivered on the ground, but didn't do anything else other than just that.

She tried again, this time concentrating heavily, but with no avail.

With her monumental effort against a hanyou's strength, the spirit had temporarily used up her reserve of power. It seemed as though Kagome would have to wait for them to regenerate.

Kagome let out a soft growl of frustration, staring out of the gaping hole left by the broken door. And then, her anger all but spent, she broke down right then and there.

"Damn you!"

The harsh words had hardly left her lips than the girl instantly regretted them.

Shaking her head, she curled up into a small ball, feeling more alone and heart broken than she had ever had before. The glistening tears fell from her eyes to vanish through the ground

"Oh gods…"

* * *

Inuyasha stomped angrily across the grounds, feeling particularly winded. He slammed the side door open, raging through the halls and into the central chamber.

There, the hanyou eyed the already broken bookshelves and drew Tetsusaiga.

All too soon, the floor was covered in wood shavings and splinters. Breathing heavily, Inuyasha sheathed the katana. While the 'exercise' had done well in releasing his anger, he was still left with the absolute confusion of _why_ he felt this way, and why he had done what he had.

The half-demon sat down amidst the wreckage and stared off into space.

With his anger mostly gone, he was left with a swirling confusion of emotions.

Grudgingly, Inuyasha admitted to himself that, yes, he _did_ care for the girl a **little**, but that still didn't explain why he felt so…

So…

Disheartened by her desire to stay as 'friends'.

Why would he have wanted for anything more to happen? After all, hadn't his original mission been to release the spirit?

To get her to go to the other world?

With this thought, Inuyasha suddenly realised that he really didn't want Kagome to move on. It just got too boring in this place without somebody to keep him company. All too soon, the hanyou conceived that he had become to depend and expect her company. It was something that kept him from being bored; she was somebody who actually made him… happy.

Inuyasha stared sadly at the ground.

In many ways, Kagome reminded him of his mother before she'd died.

But his feelings for the spirit were obviously completely different from the adoring affection he'd had for his mother as a child.

And now, Kagome wanted to be friends… and in the end, when everything was done, she'd probably want to leave him as well.

He punched the ground, creating a sizeable dent and several cracks in the wood.

Inuyasha frowned, and in a moment, his mind was made up.

She wasn't going without a fight.

* * *

"I want to change the world!  
Nido to mayowanai  
Kimi to iru mirai

Katachi doreba  
Ddokomademo toberu sa

Change my mind!  
Jounetsu tayasazuni  
Shiranai ashita e tsubasa hiroge  
Habatakeru hazusa

It's wonderland!"

Sango sang along to the song playing on the radio, her eyes closed.

'Change the World' was a song that had somehow gotten lodged in her mind, and whenever she heard it, Sango couldn't help but sing, or at least hum along to it. The habit had made her boyfriend roll his eyes more often than not, but also more often than not, he joined in on the fun.

The two humans plus a dozing fire cat were cruising along the pavement. Miroku handled the automatic shift remarkably well, considering the facts he rarely ever drove, had almost always driven in manual shift, and was now contending with a curse in his right hand.

The woman paused in her chanting, magenta eyes opening to lock with amused violet ones.

She grinned, and for that blissful moment, all their troubles faded away. They were just a simple man and woman, having fun. In the backseat, Kirara let out a soft mew followed by a purr, signalling that even the fire kitty was at peace in her dreams.

Kirara had caught up to the humans just before they'd got into the car. Where she'd been for the previous night, Sango didn't know, but she had a suspicion that she'd been catching up in the garden with Kagome. The leaves in her fur only supported that thought, and it somehow comforted her, knowing that the miko had had somebody to talk to.

"Which number was that?" Miroku looked over from concentrating on the empty road.

Sango waited for the final chord to fade away before answering. "Number thirty-two."

The woman had taken to counting every time she heard the song, be it on the radio, on the television- anytime she heard it. The count had only begun rather recently, and as the number showed, the song was really quite popular.

When the DJ announced the next song, Sango made a face and quickly switched the radio off, relishing in the face made by the man.

"What did you do that for?" Miroku reached over and poked her. "You know I like Ayumi Hamasaki."

The woman only grinned and avoided the finger- she'd always been somewhat ticklish.

As the drive now descended into silence, Sango stared placidly out the window, watching as the scenery changed from rural to urban. All too soon, the peace of silence was disrupted by familiar city noises.

This was how she would have liked it, decided the girl. Given that she would have had her way, she and Miroku would have done this a lot more than they'd had before. Too often, they'd been denied the simple pleasure of enjoying the small things.

Her teaching job and exterminating 'business' had taken too much time, as had his business with Munshin and… whatever else it was he did.

She turned her head and glanced at Miroku.

He didn't seem to notice her gaze, and continued to drive. The noon sun was being covered by dark clouds, and Sango had a sneaking suspicion that it was going to rain. She spotted his left hand resting at his side, and slowly reached out for it.

Her light attitude had drifted away, and the girl peered at Miroku.

"Are you alright?"

The monk blinked, slightly startled by the quietness of her voice. "I'm… fine. Why?"

Sango shrugged, tightening her loose grip on his hand. She took comfort in how he squeezed her hand back. "How do you feel?"

Miroku, shrugged unconvincingly. "I feel okay."

She looked at him with the slight edge of a glare.

He fidgeted.

"How do you feel?"

The man deflated and sighed. "Just a little… nervous, I guess." He grinned a lopsided grin. "But as long as I wear this thing," he nodded at the glove, "Things should be fine, right?"

Sango knew that it was anything but 'fine', but since he was skirting the topic like he was, she decided to drop it for the moment. Instead, the girl looked out through the windshield, watching as the usual scenery flashed by. It being a weekend during the summertime, there was an increased number of people on the streets.

Despite that, the roads were relatively clear. Soon enough, Miroku was guiding the car into the underground parking lot of their apartment building.

Abruptly, Sango felt the butterflies begin to dance in her stomach.

Earlier in the drive, Miroku had asked about her 'big surprise', and she'd told him that he'd find out when they'd gotten home. Now that they were almost there, Sango suddenly wished that she'd had chosen to reveal the information even later than that.

The car drifted to a stop.

Miroku turned around and grinned. "Well… what's the big news?"

She forced herself to smile back. "You'll see…"

The girl quickly hopped out of the car, followed by a sleepy Kirara. She knew perfectly well that he was wearing his 'begging face'- the expression he usually used to try and get her to forgive him after he did something especially stupid.

Like that time he'd hit on that waitress during their anniversary dinner.

Sango narrowed her eyes at the memory.

That girl had been flirting with him the entire time… batting her eyelashes… showing off her childish nature…

She crossed her arms, determination reinforced by the time Miroku had stepped out of the car. She glowered at him, making his eyes widen in confusion and surprise, before turning tail to walk towards the elevator.

"Hey! What did I do?" He jogged to catch up with her after locking the car.

Sango just kept on walking. "Nothing." Upon reaching the doors of the elevators, she pressed the button.

He looked at her, confusion written all over his face, but chose not to say anything else. If she was mad at him, it was best to let her burn it off before reasoning with her- this he knew from past experience.

The two stepped into the empty elevator, waiting silently as it slowly rose. Miroku looked at her with some amount of concern- Sango seemed to be distracted, if the expression on her face was any indication. She seemed to be staring through the metal of the elevator walls, seeing something that only she could see.

"Are… _you_ okay?" Miroku asked with some concern. It had never really occurred to him that Sango could have been heavily affected by this business with Naraku, but that was now becoming all too clear. "You look…"

She seemed to snap out of her slightly daze. Blinking, Sango looked at the monk. "What? Oh. I'm… okay."

"Now who's lying?"

Sango gave him a look.

Miroku decided not to press at the moment, knowing that whatever was going to be said would have to wait until they reached their apartment. He yawned, watching as the numbers above glowed as they passed each corresponding floor. That was one of the problems with living so high up- it took a long time to get home.

Finally, the elevator 'dinged' as it reached the penthouse floor.

The two walked out and through the quiet hallway. It took only a few moments for Miroku to draw the keys from his pocket, and after a few more seconds, they were finally home.

They collapsed onto the sofa.

The man stared at the ceiling for a while, a little light headed from having driven for two hours after a sleep-deprived night. It felt as though he could fall asleep at any given moment- and the fact that he was in a rather comfortable chair didn't do anything to help.

In a sleepy voice, Miroku mumbled, "So… what's the big surprise?"

Sango looked at him and shook her head slowly. "Why don't you sleep for a while first?" She studied him carefully.

He looked up, suddenly acutely aware that she was trying to buy some time. "No." He straightened. "Tell me now. I wanna know." He used his best whiny voice in an attempt to disguise the command.

It wasn't lost on his girlfriend, however, who sighed, shoulders sagging visibly. At this sudden and extremely rare show of weakness, Miroku's eyes narrowed. "What's wrong?"

A crease developed between her eyes as Sango frowned. "I don't know how I should put it."

He noticed that she was nervously knotting her hands- something else that was rather uncharacteristic. He gently took her hands in his and instantly noticed that they were like ice.

"Sango… how long have we known each other?" He used his best calming tone. "Come on… Just say it."

The girl looked at him, and began her unsteady dialogue. "Remember… a few weeks ago when it was raining really hard?"

He looked at her, uncomprehending.

"You picked me up from the dojo. And… we got soaked in the rain, and after we got back, we…" She paused, her face going bright red.

He looked at her curiously, still not knowing exactly where this was going. "Yeah, I know…" His eyes closed as he drew up the memory. "Oh yes. I definitely know."

She smacked him lightly around the head. "Yes, well… see, I'd kind of forgotten to… take my pill…"

"Wh—?" He looked at her, a slightly shocked expression beginning to materialise onto his face. "What?" His grip slackened on her hands.

Sango's face became somewhat downcast. "And, remember, when you came with Inuyasha to pick me up…"

"You'd gone to the doctor." His voice was a little hollow with shock.

"Yeah… and you see…" The woman looked at him with tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Doctor Miyake, he said…" she paused. "I took a test, and… I'm pregnant."

He gaped at her, eyes wide.

Then-

"That's gre-eat--!"

He grinned widely.

It was her turn to stare.

"Your pregnant?" He laughed. "That's great!" he grabbed her hand and pulled her into a hug.

She gaped at him, not understanding his reaction- considering the circumstances. "But—"

"I'm going to be a father!" Miroku butted in. "What could be wrong with that?" He was feeling unusually light-headed again. It was almost as though the shock had blocked the ability for him to think properly.

Sango shook her head. "You- you've forgotten!" She took his hand and gripped it, trying to get him to see the whole picture. "Miroku!"

He, apparently, wasn't listening to her. "Is it a boy? But it's too early to tell, isn't it?" He was babbling on, the shock making him lose his sense. "Where's the nearest school?"

Sango gritted her teeth.

She slapped him.

He looked at her, expression blank and mouth opening and closing without sound. She leaned in and whispered just two words:

"Naraku. Curse."

Miroku's pupils contracted.

"Shi---t."

He then fainted.

* * *

Review Responses:

-- WhiteDloud  
Eh heh… -.-;; Well, Kagome did tell him straight out… but I don't think it went exactly as planned, no? As for Sango fighting, we'll have to see, won't we?

-- Master of Disaster  
The story's beginning to wind down. It really shouldn't be that much over twenty chapters- maybe twenty-five at the most. It should break 100 000 words (including review response text), though.

-- ever free  
Freaked out? Well… Hopefully, that'll change. I'm honoured to know that you've added this story! No, I don't mind. :D 'Anti-Fan Girl Fan Fiction's' kind of catchy. I've checked it out, actually, and it looks pretty good. I'd subscribe too… if I'd had time to read stories anymore… -.-;;

-- Misato-Katsuragi2  
Thanks for reading! I like description, although I can get a little too descriptive at time… -.-;; 'Artefact' and 'artifact' are both accepted spellings of the same word- 'artefact' is just the Canadian spelling- or was it British? Ah well. Artefact looks better here since it's not underlined with a red squiggle… (MSWord, no? -.-;;)

--

Many Thanks to: 

NordicaVB

InusAkane (what's to apologise for? ;))

sapphire pink

remix-69er

Sarcasm Girl8

Angelic-Mermaid

Izayoi

Lady Cassandra Micha

AngelMiko289

ChAnDrA16 (stupid Inuyasha and Miroku indeed)

…zZzZ (I got kind of worried about your name before I read your review…)

humble-bumble

cool-chick-rae (Yes. Building up to the next chapter, no?)

* * *

Note: In an episode and issue of Inuyasha, Miroku comments on how it looks like Inuyasha has 'the face of Buddha' (or something like that). I believe it's just after Kagome caught him making a promise "to protect" Kikyou, and just before she decides that she really wants to be with him…

Ah yes. The chapter where feelings come to light. I'm sleepy right now, and have nothing to say, (I'm sure I'll think of something later), but for now, I'm glad you've stuck with me.

Till next time…

Ja!


	18. Something Amiss

Disclaimer: Haven't got the figurines yet… don't ask about the whole thing.

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

x-x

-- Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

-"Naraku. Curse."

Miroku's pupils contracted.

"Shi---t."

He then fainted.-

x-x

****

Chapter EIGHTEEN:

Something Amiss

x-x

"Wha…" Miroku groaned, placing a hand to his forehead. "What happened?"

Opening his eyes, the monk found that he was lying across the sofa in his apartment, a blanket strewn over his legs. Pale sunlight streamed in through the balcony window, bathing him in a soft glow. The soft, familiar ticking of the clock on the wall prompted him to look up.

"Ten o'clock?" He sat up, letting the blanket fall to the floor. "What…?" The human frowned, trying to remember what he was doing on the sofa. "Did I piss Sango off again?" He shook his head.

"You fainted." A voice called out from somewhere in the kitchen. Miroku looked up and saw his girlfriend, poking her head around the corner. Sango padded across the living room to sit beside the mildly confused man. "Don't you remember?"

He gave her a strange look. "_I_ fainted." He raised an eyebrow. "_Me_." He shook his head. "No, no, no… _I_ don't faint. I-"

"You fainted." His girlfriend nodded her head. "I tried to wake you up, but then you started snoring, so…" she shrugged. "You were too heavy for me to carry to the bed, so I just left you there."

Miroku paused for thought. "Now, see… _what_ would make me faint?"

She stared at him. "You don't remember?"

"Well, I remember the drive here… and that you needed to tell me something." The man stood up and began pacing. "You were singing, and then… we got home. We went up the elevator… sat down… and I remember feeling really tired." He paused." And then you told me that-" His eyes widened. "Oh."

Sango jumped up as Miroku faltered. "You feeling okay?"

"Oh." His right hand clenched. "Oh. That's not good…" He wobbled.

"You're not going to faint on me again, are you?" The girl asked anxiously.

"No, no…" the monk steadied himself, suddenly seeming to be very calm. "Just… give me a few seconds, will you?"

Before Sango could protest, he was walking towards the balcony. With a detached sort of air of calmness surrounding him, Miroku pushed the door open, strolling outside. She watched with some amount of nervousness as the man took in several deep breaths.

The door clicked shut.

Through the semi-sheer drapes, Sango nervously watched the man's silhouette. Suddenly, he drew himself up, and shouted something that was indistinguishable from within the apartment.

The demon exterminator winced.

The door slid open again, as the monk, calm once more, walked in. He strolled over to the sofa, and sat down on it delicately, his mouth unusually thin. Disturbed from her nap, Kirara gave the monk a rather annoyed look from her spot on the carpet, before trotting off into the bedroom, tail up in the air.

"That's better." He sighed.

The woman stared at him. "So…' She paused, afraid that any more words would cause some sort of break down in the man. "What's going to happen?"

Miroku turned and looked at her.

He stared.

The silence grew.

Sango wriggled self-consciously before demanding, "What?"

The man hesitated, as if gathering his thoughts and strength to say whatever it was he was going to say. "First thing is… you know that I'm going to protect you, right?" His face remained a mask of seriousness. "You and…" he gestured vaguely at her midsection. "The baby." Miroku took in a breath. "I'll make sure the two of you are safe. You should stay here, in Kyoto, and I'll go back to Inuyasha's place- to try and find a way to lift the curse-"

"Shut up." Sango frowned at him. "Stop trying to take all the responsibility." Tears began to fill her eyes, but she angrily wiped them away.

'Damned mood swings.'

"Don't you think this affects you as much as it does me? Damn it, Miroku!" She brought her palm down on the smooth coffee table in front of the sofa. "Don't you understand that…"

The rest of her sentence was muffled as the man wrapped his arms around her frame, bringing her close to him. "Yeah… yeah…" He rocked her gently. "I get it. It's just a little…" He paused, trying for time.

Sango brought her face away from her boyfriend's shoulder. "Hard?"

He nodded. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"But you've got to let me help!" She shook her head. "I don't love you because you're independent- I want to be able to know your problems." She paused. "I don't want to just share the good times with you…" Sango looked at him imploringly. "Let me help you?"

Miroku raised an eyebrow at her.

"You love me?"

She stiffened, the expression on her face becoming dark and slightly menacing. "What do you mean?" She glared at him. "You didn't _know_?" She pulled away, a pout on her lips. "All this time, and you've only _just_ figured it out? How thick can you be?"

Eyes wide, the monk stared at the frowning woman. "Wh-what?"

"Eh. 'What'? What do you mean, 'what'?" She crossed her arms. "You didn't know that I _loved_ you?!"

"Of course I knew!" Miroku chuckled uneasily, but it came out sounding more like a nervous cackle. "I knew… in… my… err… heart." He struggled for words. "You just never said it."

She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Well?"

"Well what?" He blinked at her.

"Well aren't you going to say anything?"

Thankfully, the man got the hint, and threw his arms widely around her. "I love you too…?"

The slightly questioning tone of voice was lost on Sango, and she nodded firmly. "You'd better." She glared at him. "You got me pregnant."

He stared at her, doubt growing at the edge of his mind. "Are you… unhappy about the baby?"

"What?" She started. "No! I'm not unhappy! I'm… very happy." She lowered her head. "But I was a little worried about what you'd think…"

Miroku forced a laugh. "Why?"

His girlfriend raised an eyebrow. "Gee… I don't know." Her tone was distinctly sarcastic.

He shook his head in amusement.

A slight moment of silence passed, before the man stretched in a leisurely manner. "So… you want to watch a movie today?"

Sango stared at him. "Shouldn't we be getting back to Inuyasha's?" She thought for a moment. "And shouldn't we call his brother like he asked?" She paused again, confusion darkening her thoughts. "And what do you mean, 'watch a movie'? What about everything that's happening?" She stared at him incredulously.

The man shrugged. "A few hours won't hurt." He checked his watch. "Besides, I don't know if Sesshoumaru's a morning person or not, and I really don't want to be on the receiving end of his temper."

His girlfriend frowned. "But I thought you said he was always 'emotionless'."

"Oh, believe me. You know when he's pissed off at you." He shuddered. "He has this kind of _look_, and the atmosphere just gets really creepy."

"And you know this… how?"

"Well one time in our freshmen year, Inuyasha thought it's be funny if we took his—"

Sango butted in. "Do I really want to hear this?"

He paused. "No.

"Ah."

"So… movie?" Seeing the doubtful expression on his lover's face, Miroku added, "Considering everything we've been through, don't you think we can treat ourselves to a little movie?" He grinned. "I hear part three of Ju-On is quite good…"

The woman bit her lip. "Okay then." She paused, torn between having fun, and reporting back to an irate hanyou with his brother. Sango's expression deadened. 'Well, isn't _that_ a hard decision…' She snorted. "It's a date, then."

Miroku grinned, looping an arm around hers. "That, it is."

* * *

Inuyasha paced impatiently in his room, fists clenching and unclenching in an unheard rhythm. Golden eyes searched annoying around the walls of the room, looking for nothing in particular. The hanyou grumbled under his breath, his nerves and patience stretched to the point of breakage.

"Where in the hells _are_ those stupid humans?!"

He stopped in the middle of his room, just in front of his futon-like bed. Pieces of clothing littered the room in various degrees of cleanliness. Books, paper, and pens were scattered around aimlessly, and, for some strange reason, a stuffed mouse sat in the middle of the room.

Focusing on it, the hanyou frowned.

"What the fu--?"

His expression cleared.

The evening before yesterday, after Naraku's attack, Inuyasha had been playing cat-sitter to Kirara, with Sango trying to talk to the newly cursed man. The mouse had provided entertainment for the fire-kitty, as she attacked it with a certain catty playfulness that the half-dog-demon just couldn't understand.

Casting that thought away, Inuyasha cracked his knuckles absently, eyes straying to the glowing red numbers of his digital clock.

The time displayed only served to tighten his nerves even more.

"Twelve fucking o' clock! They left yesterday!" He resumed pacing. "What the hell are they doing?"

The half-demon growled under his breath, his mind riddled with unwanted worry about his friends- and the fire cat. Since the previous day's discussion in the garden, Inuyasha had been unusually tense- even for him, and it was thankful that nobody had been around to be the recipient of his wrath.

Letting out a sudden sigh of annoyance, the hanyou hopped backwards, landing on the somewhat hard surface of his bed. His eyes closed, and for one, glorious moment, Inuyasha just let his mind go blank, and forgot about all his worries.

Everything was just… blank.

And peaceful.

Then, everything came rushing back.

"Damn it!"

He hopped off the bed, too restless to stay still.

He wanted to be doing something… _anything_. Everything was just so boring right now; with Naraku not showing his face; with the house empty; and with Kagome not talking to him…

Inuyasha winced.

Before a bubble of resentment grew and burst within him.

Well, her not talking to him was _her_ fault.

Really,

It was.

If she hadn't been so _stupid_ as to say… those things, then they wouldn't have been in this position. He wouldn't be so damned confused about his feelings, and they would probably have been plotting the destruction of Naraku at this very moment!

The hanyou halted that train of thought, and shook it out of his mind.

He didn't want to think about _that_ right now.

Inuyasha sighed again, combing a hand thickly through his matted hair. He ran his claws through it irritably, disliking the texture of it. He thought back to when the last time was that he'd washed the stuff.

The half-demon winced.

He couldn't even remember.

Sighing –yet again- deeply, he walked briskly to the washroom attached to his bedroom, tossing off random articles of clothing as he went. By the time he reached the shower, the hanyou was wearing nothing but his birthday suit. Inuyasha stepped in and turned the water on at its highest setting.

The half-demon began work on his hair, a frown etched on his face.

Maybe a long shower would help him think?

* * *

"Try again. Maybe he didn't hear it."

Miroku raised an eyebrow at his girlfriend, who was sitting across from him in a booth in WacDonalds. "I've tried calling Inuyasha three times already, and he hasn't picked up once."

They had finished with the movie only a few minutes before, and were now starting on their lunch. Part three of Ju-On had been somewhat of a disappointment, the movie being far less scary than its predecessors had been. Nevertheless, it _had_ taken their minds off their predicament for a good chunk of their time.

Sango sipped her coke. "Well, why don't you try again?" She checked her watch. "It's twelve thirty already. He should be awake, right?"

"He _should_ be…" the man took a bite from his chicken burger. "But you know Inuyasha." His voice came out muffled from behind the food. Swallowing thickly, he continued. "He might not be near his phone."

She wrinkled her nose at her boyfriend. "Don't do that… it's gross." Sango went back on subject. "But isn't that why we _bought_ him a cell phone? So he could be contacted?" She shook her head and fell silent into thought.

Miroku stared at her for a few minutes, shrugged, and then attempted to steal a fry off of the woman's tray.

She slapped his hand away.

"Eat your own."

He grinned toothily at her. "But Sango, dear, I've finished all of mine."

Blinking in astonishment, the woman glanced down, and say that, indeed, he _had_ eaten all of his fries. "Wha--?" She looked up into his face, eyes wide. "How?" Recovering, she snorted. "Food Vacuum." She pushed over her tray. "Here. Knock yourself out."

"Mmph." Miroku's reply was muffled, as his mouth was, again, stuffed with food.

She stared at him, idly stirring a large glob of ketchup with a French fry. "You must really be hungry." Her expression softened somewhat. "Which isn't too much of a surprise. You didn't eat last night, did you?"

"Mm." He shook his head.

Sango sighed, leaning back into the vinyl of the chair.

She glanced lazily around the fast food restaurant, seeing almost too many laughing faces. One group in particular, three giggling school girls dressed in the usual middle school uniform, stood out from the rest.

"Oh, Yuka-chan! I'm sure he likes you!"

"You really think so, Ayumi-chan?"

"Of course!"

Sango smiled absently, directing her absent gaze back to the ceiling.

The life of a stranger seemed so simple, compared to what was happening to them…

A yawn broke her face.

The restaurant atmosphere was making her slightly drowsy…

She closed her eyes.

* * *

"Eeh… Sango?"

Somebody shook her.

"Sango, wake up."

Sitting up, the woman blinked and stretched. "Wha—" she yawned. "What happened?" She turned half-bleary eyes to the man at her side.

Miroku looked at her, slightly concerned. "You fell asleep. Are you tired?"

Sango glanced at him. "No…" Another yawn broke into her answer. "I guess the restaurant just made me sleepy." She stretched. "You done?"

The man gestured to the clean table. "I cleaned."

She nodded absently, standing to join him. "You think we should get Sesshoumaru now?"

The man thought for a moment, presumably for an excuse, before deflating. "Yeah…"

"I thought so."

"…"

"Call him."

"But-" Head drooping, Miroku left the excuse unfinished and reached into his pocket, drawing out his phone and the piece of paper Inuyasha had given him. He despondently tapped in the numbers.

The line rang.

And rang.

And rang.

Just before the fourth ring, somebody picked up, and the deep, cool sounding voice of Inuyasha's elder brother came through.

"Yes?"

Miroku rolled his shoulders. "Hey… Sesshoumaru?"

There was a pause at the other end of the line. "Whom else would it be?"

"… Nobody…" The man slid a side-long look to Sango. "It's Miroku. I'm-"

"My little brother's human friend. I know. What do you want?"

He took in a deep breath.

"Well, you see… It goes like this…"

* * *

A small, yellow butterfly fluttered onto the grass, landing on a slender blade. Its wings opened and closed slowly, the insect taking a few steps up the piece of grass.

"You have it easy." A despondent looking girl floated a few millimeters above the ground, almost at eye level with the butterfly. "You just eat and worry about finding a mate… and being eaten." She sighed, ocean-blue eyes overlaid with sadness. "You don't have to bother with feelings and saving the world from evil…"

Kagome rolled onto her back, watching as the butterfly took flight and disappeared over the stone wall.

Her gaze followed the edge of the wall, and lighted sadly onto the wooden doors.

One was still broken…

And her powers were still on the blink, so to speak, which meant Kagome couldn't do anything more significant than float around and mope.

Which was what she was doing.

Closing her eyes, the spirit sighed deeply. She rose a few inches so that her raven hair almost- but not quite, brushed the tips of the tallest blades of grass. The faint smell of nature surrounded her, and the gentle breeze swirled around her, but Kagome took no notice. Her hands rested just below her chest, her position making her look eerily similar to the corpse of a dead person.

With this level of silence, she could almost notice a slight pulsing coming from deep within the forest.

Slightly curious, the girl sat up, her eyes straying towards the dark line of trees. Her mind wandered absently towards what she could find there, and with her aura, Kagome gently prodded the strange pulse.

A sudden wave of something akin to fear made her snap her aura back.

"What?" She frowned into the forest, thankful for the distraction if provided from her present thoughts. "I wonder…" Kagome began to muse to herself. "…just what lies within?"

All through her entrapment, Kagome had never been able to venture too deep into the wooded area. Whenever she'd attempted to go further than she dared, a stab of malice would always cause her to step back. It was as though she were deeply afraid of whatever it was that was sending off that faint pulsing.

Shaking her head, the spirit turned her gaze away from the forest, and back towards the open sky. Her eyes lazily took note of the sun's position in the sky, and she noted that it was probably a few hours past noon, according to the modern method of telling time.

Abruptly, and certainly without her mind's consent, Kagome's heart began to wonder about the whereabouts of a certain silver-haired hanyou.

Expression becoming more depressed at the thought, the girl's eyes wandered back past the space in the entrance, and towards the large house that stood in front of it.

Curious, Kagome, almost against her own will, stood up and began moving towards the entrance. Her head cocked to the side as she wondered whether or not she'd be able to walk out of the garden, and into the outside world. With each step she took that brought her closer to freedom, her doubt grew.

When she had stepped to the very boundary of the garden, the girl looked out and saw, as if for the first time, the scenery surrounding the garden. It was true, that sometimes, she'd floated to the top of the wall, and sat on top of it. A faint smile grew at the edge of her lips.

By peering out of her tiny garden, Kagome had seen her old village grow. She'd seen how people from the neighboring villages had visited, and constructed buildings of their own, for various purposes. She'd watched as the small children grew taller and older. She'd watched them marry, and have children of their own.

Her expression saddened.

She'd watched Kaede go through her duties, although the miko had never noticed her. Kagome had watched as her friend grew older, and eventually, died.

And then, she'd watched as her village itself, after so many years of prosperity, dried up and withered away. Only a few buildings had remained, one being the shrine that had been built a few years after she, Kagome herself, had died.

And after that, she'd retreated into her garden.

And for a period of time- what seemed like nothing to her, but decades for the outside world, Kagome had peeked out from within the stone walls again.

This time, there'd been a mansion surrounding the aforementioned shrine. She'd watched as different lords and ladies had passed their lives in the richly furnished house. Time passed on, and Time brought and took away many different people. The girl had had no way of knowing how many years had passed by, but she could still remember every aspect of her previous life.

Each day, the sun set, and darkness fell, but rarely did anything new happen to Kagome. Every day was the same; while everything changed outside, she herself remained the same, trapped within the sealed stone walls of the garden.

The faces of the different people that had passed faded from view, and none stuck in her memory- except for one.

There was just this one girl that Kagome could remember…

She'd had the darkest and longest hair the spirit had ever seen, and her eyes had been a deep, hazel colour. She'd been the daughter of the family; an only child. She'd been pampered and treated to many things, but the girl had never grown selfish.

What had been her name?

Kagome racked her memory.

And faintly, slowly the recollection came, and one word rose above the mess of memory.

"Izayoi."

But eventually, Izayoi had left as well.

Suddenly, a powerful yearning filled the spirit as she gazed longingly outside.

She wanted to escape these walls.

A small smile on her face, Kagome steadied herself and took in a deep breath before proudly stepping across the threshold.

For a moment, nothing happened, and the spirit felt her smile grow.

But then, something strange and awful happened.

An abrupt dizziness hit her, as the girl stumbled. Her blue eyes widened, as her hand flew to her chest.

'I can't… I can't…"

It was almost as if she couldn't breathe, although Kagome knew that couldn't be the case. Nevertheless, the blackness that was edging around her vision wasn't a good sign, and with a tremendous heave of strength, the girl threw herself back within the walls of the garden.

Gasping for the air she couldn't breathe, she adopted a kneeling position, hand still at her chest.

After a few seconds, Kagome's gasps slowed, and with eyes closed, she collapsed onto her back.

"I can't leave."

Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes for the second time in centuries.

"I'm… trapped… forever…"

* * *

Sango leaned back into the passenger seat as she watched Miroku steer his way through the busy streets. The traffic was rather bad for this time of the day, and it was taking a lot longer than it should have, getting to Sesshoumaru's building.

Miroku had given the dog-demon a short synopsis of everything that was happening, and eventually, Sesshoumaru had agreed to go to Inuyasha's aid. Although he hadn't sounded too happy about the fact that his chaperones were going to be humans he'd and agreed to be picked up at exactly four o' clock.

The humans had gone back to their house, picked up Kirara and a few of Sango's exterminating equipment. Miroku had been against bringing anything, but Sango had beaten him down.

However, the man had flat out refused on bringing Hiraikotsu, her over-sized boomerang, insisting that he would never let her use it in this state.

Then, after picking everything up, they'd made their way towards Sesshoumaru's building. When a regular drive would have taken, at the most, forty-five minutes, the heavy traffic was slowing the trip down significantly.

It was now a quarter past four.

Which was why Miroku was panicking.

"Why is the traffic so fu--… bad?!" His hands gripped the steering wheel. "At this rate, it'll be three by the time we get there, and I'm not sure whether or not I'll want to be trapped in a car with that guy. He hates it when people aren't on time…"

The woman next to him gave him a look. "Relax, Miroku." She rubbed his neck in a soothing manner. "I'm sure Inuyasha's brother is a lot more reasonable than you make him out to be."

He shot her an incredulous glance. "How can you say that? After all that I've told you?"

Sango shrugged. "I guess I'm just not scared to death of the man."

"Demon."

"Fine. Demon."

"A demon. With powers. Such as seeping poison into his nails." He gave her a look. "I don't want to get on his bad side; that's all."

His girlfriend closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm sure Sesshoumaru won't kill you, as long as you give him the respect he expects."

"Right."

There was a lull of silence in the car.

"But what if-"

"Miroku!"

"… Fine."

"I just wonder what Inuyasha's up to. Do you think he's worried?"

"Knowing Inuyasha…" The man paused. "Knowing Inuyasha, he'd probably really pissed off at us right now." He offered a grin to the woman. "But- hey. We _did_ try to call. It's not our fault he didn't pick up."

Sango shook her head. "I'm beginning to regret watching that movie…" A twinge of guilt rushed through her. "We should have gotten back as soon as we could've."

"Aw… don't worry about it." Miroku looked over after completing a right turn. "I'm sure he won't mind."

"Right."

The car became quiet, as the man navigated his way through the unusually heavy traffic.

Just then, the deafening sound of screeching metal cut through the air, followed by several heavy bumping noises. Everything became quiet. All at once, all the cars stopped moving. An eyebrow raised, the man sat up, trying to see what it was that was causing the disturbance.

"What's happened?"

"Whatever it was, it sounded bad." Sango frowned, unlocking her door. "I'll go check it out." She opened the door. "You stay here."

With that, the woman stepped out, and carefully picked her way forwards.

Miroku watched with a slight bit of anxiety, and waited impatiently for her to come back. After a few minutes, the top of her head bobbed into view, and he was shocked to see the paleness of her face.

She slid back into the car.

"Sango? What's wrong?" He caressed her face. "What happened?"

The woman looked at him, eyes wide. "A collision."

Miroku let go of a tense breath. "Why so pale then?"

"A really bad collision." Sango looked at him. "Four cars. Half the road's been scraped away." She swallowed thickly. "And… there are… dead people."

His hand froze.

"I think somebody _caused_ the collision. A demon, probably." Her magenta eyes were filled with worry. "It looked like a couple of the cars had been ripped clean in half." She shook her head. "And, I don't think we'll be getting out of here anytime soon."

Cursing under his breath, Miroku reached into his pocket and drew out his cell phone. Redialing Sesshoumaru's number, the man waited, and when he got through, skipped right past the pleasantries.

"Listen, Sesshoumaru. There's been… an accident." He shot a concerned look at Sango before continuing. "Do you have a car?" He paused. "Good. We'll be there in half an hour. An hour at most."

Abruptly hanging up, Miroku looked at his girlfriend.

"I think somebody doesn't want us getting to Sesshoumaru." He ran a hand through his hair. "I could be wrong… but…"

Sango watched him. "But?"

He waved a hand, dismissing it. "If somebody- and I could guess who that 'somebody' is- is trying to keep us from getting back to Inuyasha, then something big's going to happen." The man unbuckled. "Let's go."

She started. "Go where?"

Miroku stepped out of the car, sticking his head back in. "Go to Sesshoumaru. We're walking."

* * *

Inuyasha sat just outside of his house, staring into the darkening sky.

It was now well past six o'clock, and his friends still hadn't gotten back yet. The hanyou glared around the garden, his mood having declined significantly since his shower.

It was just so… quiet.

And he hated 'quiet'.

'Quiet' meant he had time to think, and with the current issues going on at the moment, thinking didn't provide a very good sanctuary.

He cracked his knuckles for the thirtieth time that day.

"Stupid… Miroku…" He'd tried calling the man, but all he'd gotten was a busy signal, and once, and out-of-service recording. "What the hell could he be doing?"

The question continued to bug the half-demon, and whatever he told himself, Inuyasha knew that he _was_ worried about the two.

He squeezed his eyes shut and dropped his head between his knees.

"…Hate… this…"

And on top of it all, like a cherry on a sundae, it was going to be the night of the new moon.

The night of the new moon was Inuyasha's period of weakness. Whenever the moon disappeared from view in the night sky, the half-demon's demonic powers ebbed away with it.

Which left him human.

And he hated being human.

Adding to the obvious physical mortality of being human, Inuyasha's emotions during that time were also far harder to control. During those times, his self-confidence faded with the departure of his demonic strength, and he was left feeling uncomfortably vulnerable.

Rubbing his face, Inuyasha raised his head, and watched as the last rays of the sun disappeared from the land, throwing him into darkness.

And suddenly, the half-demon's heightened senses vanished.

It was as though somebody had thrown a blanket over his head, as his hearing became less sharp, and his sense of smell dulled. Sight was also considerably weaker than usual. He could feel the strength flow out of his limbs, as he was left with a body that was stronger than the average human, but extremely weak compared to his hanyou form.

He shook his head irritably, his now-black hair swinging in the motion. Previously amber eyes had turned lavender, and his sharp claws had been reduced to normal human fingernails. The doggy-ears that normally sat atop his head had disappeared, and been replaced by normal human ears at the sides of his head.

Inuyasha sighed at his weakness.

Gods above, he had being human.

Standing up, the half-demon turned human gazed around the yard, hearing the faint tinkle of the artificial stream. There were no streetlights this far out of the city.

But then- what was that glow?

Startled, Inuyasha placed a hand on Tetsusaiga, and watched the approaching glow.

His eyes narrowed.

"Who the hell's out there?"

"It's just me."

Surprised and shock spread through the man as the familiar voice drifted to his ears.

"Ka- kagome?" As she walked closer, Inuyasha saw that, indeed, it was the girl. "What are you doing here?" His grip in Tetsusaiga weakened.

A light smile touched her lips. "I just wanted to see you." Her expression was curious, but not one of surprise. "You're human."

Something was off, but the hanyou couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"I've always wondered what you would look like when you were human…" She looked up into the sky. "So your night of weakness of the new moon?"

Inuyasha frowned. "What of it?" His tone was rough; for some reason, he didn't trust this woman.

Something was not right… but what?

She grinned and walked closer. "I think you're really cute as a human, Inuyasha." A strange glint shone in her eyes.

Once again, shock pulsed through him, but he covered it over. He tried to keep his expression neutral. However, he couldn't mask the slight blush that'd risen to his cheeks. "So?"

"'So'?" Hurt crossed her face. "Is that all?"

He crossed his arms. "What do you want?"

She walked closer, and Inuyasha abruptly found the motion strange. "I just wanted to be with you, Inuyasha." Her tone was almost sickeningly sweet. "Please?"

She reached out a hand, and almost touched his face.

He flinched backwards.

"Inuyasha?" A frown touched her face. "What's wrong?"

She moved towards him and leaned forward.

His eyes narrowed.

Her grey ones widened.

Wait.

Grey?

She's touching the ground?

Lavender eyes widening, Inuyasha stepped backward, and drew out his katana. Tetsusaiga didn't transform, and a wave of panic washed over him.

Apparently, Tetsusaiga didn't change when he was human.

'Shit.'

Nevertheless, he pointed the tip of the sword at the girl's throat.

"You're not Kagome."

A wicked grin spread across the girl's face. "What do you mean?"

And then, her eyes went red.

The hanyou shook with rage. "Naraku!"

Indeed, it was Naraku, as the shape-shifter kept Kagome's form, and rushed forwards, his hand headed for the half-demon's neck.

"I almost got you."

Face twisting in anger, Inuyasha avoided his hand, sidestepping. "You bastard!" It came out as a snarl, as he continued to avoid Naraku's attempts to grab his neck.

He looked around, and realised that the only safe place he could go was the shrine within the house. 'Shit.' Naraku was standing between him and the entrance.

Inuyasha hopped on the balls of his feet, eyes watching the demon as he prepared to make a break for it.

Just as Naraku shot forwards, the hanyou turned and bolted for the house.

He was fast.

But not fast enough.

Just before he reached the shouji doors, the twisted, grinning replication of Kagome's face appeared. A strangled gasp escaped the hanyou as he attempted to skid backwards.

A hand shot to his neck.

He was lifted into the air.

The red eyes widened in amusement as Naraku watched Inuyasha struggling in the air.

And using a voice that almost matched Kagome's, he spoke.

"It's time to die, Inuyasha."

* * *

Review Responses:

--AngelMiko289  
Re:  
Boy...I would hate to be in Miroku's place right about now... Well, also in Sango's. Anyways, Kagome was in love with Koga, and it turned out that he was using her, right? So... I have 2 small questions. How come Inuyahsa is so dense about his feelings? (No offense. I really like him this way, it adds the flavor and the suspense of the story) But after when Kagome locked him out, why didn't he realized that he liked her more then a friend? And also, how can Inuyasha help her? Sheesh! This chapter is so suspensful, I'm really nervous! LOL.

Inuyasha is dense because… he doesn't like to acknowledge his feelings. He thinks they're making him weak, so he shuts them off… besides… he's a lot funnier this way… How can Inuyasha help her? That will be revealed in the second-to-last chapter… I think…

-- magical-nurse-komugi  
Re:  
why dose inuyasha want his brother to come?

You shall find out later. I think… perhaps in the next chapter?

--

**Many Thanks to**:

Lluvia the Immortal Wolfgirl

remix-69er

Elfin Kagome- Interesting… A fried newt?

ChAnDrA16

NordicaVB

UsakoSerenity

WhiteDloud

humble-bumble

cool-chick-rae

Fiery Demon Fox

ever free

Sarcasm Girl8

SilverStarWing

Izayoi 'Confessions' would have been a great title…

lovable kitty mew

kagome fan

Mental Monkey

Misato-Katsuragi2

Vesca

Brittany3

* * *

--I'm sorry about the delay. It's just that I was really busy for the… ::checks:: …past three weeks. -.-;; Bad case of writer's block too…

Ah well.

And I left you on another cliffhanger…

::nervous laugh::

Ill be going now…

Oh, in case you're wondering, 'Ju-On' translates to 'The Grudge", and everything you read about it in the story, I made up.

Till next time…

Ja!--


	19. Death

Disclaimer: I wish.

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

x-x

-- Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

-The red eyes widened in amusement as Naraku watched Inuyasha struggling in the air.

And using a voice that almost matched Kagome's, he spoke.

"It's time to die, Inuyasha."-

x-x

****

Chapter NINETEEN:

Death

x-x

Inuyasha's face was contorted in pain.

He couldn't breathe.

Well, _no shit_.

Naraku, in something that seemed to be Kagome's stolen image, was still gripping him painfully by the neck. His feet still dangled several inches off the ground, kicking uselessly at the shape-shifter demon. His fists swung wildly, hitting his captor in the shoulder several times, but to no effect. And steadily, with every passing second, Inuyasha was getting weaker. His movements became slowly more sluggish, until his limbs could only twitch in response to his desperation to live.

He was dying.

Inuyasha felt his world go steadily darker, as his vision began to fade. What was the imitation-Kagome's face became a blur, which was partially a blessing, since now at least, he didn't have to have the impression that the girl was killing him.

And with that thought, an image of the real, true Kagome sprung to mind. An impish smile tugged at her lips, her ocean-blue eyes twinkled mischievously.

"So, Inuyasha. How does it feel to die?" The imitative version of her voice taunted him. "Don't worry about the pain; everything will be gone in just a few more moments." A horrible, cruel laugh rang through his head.

But as the outside noise faded away, Inuyasha became aware of a light, bright voice piercing into his rapidly sinking consciousness.

"Inuyasha? Are you really going to let yourself be killed by him?" 

'Hell no!'

With renewed strength, the hanyou fought back. His eyes flung open, and the half-demon was, for a moment, startled at the fact that he'd closed them. Glaring resolutely at the suddenly unamused shape-shifter, the hanyou gathered all of his fading strength, and delivered a strong, solid kick to Naraku's midsection.

And he was dropped.

More from surprise than anything else, Naraku's hold had weakened on his neck, leaving the half-demon to fall rather unceremoniously onto his behind.

"Still have some fight in you, eh?"

Inuyasha picked up Tetsusaiga, which had dropped onto the ground, and raised it in front of him. His chest heaved, as he gulped down the air with greedy readiness. His free hand massaged his neck gingerly, and he winced at the tenderness of the flesh.

'I'm alive.'

Lavender eyes stayed fixed on his opponent, anticipating his next move. For the moment, Naraku didn't seem to know _what_ to do; obviously, the man's resistance to death merited _some_ form of punishment, but he just couldn't find the right one.

A smirk lifted a corner of Inuyasha's mouth. "Wh-what's the matter?" Stumbling to his feet, the man took a few unsteady steps away from the shape-shifter. "Can't even kill a puny human?" He coughed weakly.

Face contorting in a flash of rage, the shape-shifter schooled his expression into a collected sneer. "I must admit: I'm surprised you managed to survive." His form began to contort. "However, you've only succeeded in prolonging your death."

Inuyashas watched in disgust, still backing away, as the ball of flesh writhed and squirmed. "Who says I'm going to die?" He gave a dry chuckle. "Today, anyway." The hanyou stole a quick look backwards, noticing that he was just inches away from the side door.

'Just a few more…'

"Fool." The half-demon's gaze snapped back to the blob. Naraku's voice was strangely disembodied, as Inuyasha could find no visible place for it to come from in the ball. "Don't you think I know where you're trying to go?"

With a suddenness that, once again, surprised the hanyou, the flesh contorted into a human shape. Naraku's usual- if it could be called that- form emerged, red eyes gleaming evilly from a cruelly smiling face. He was dressed in an outfit that would have been perfect for the feudal ages- an outfit fit for a lord.

His robe- _haori_ dropped down well past his waist, with a vest-like piece of clothing over it. His long pants, _hakama_, fell to his ankles. The demon's greasy, black hair was tied back, the slippery tendrils falling down his back.

Despite the pounding of his heart, the half-demon managed to twist his lips upward in a wry smile. "And where would that be?" He felt the thin paper covering of the door hit his palm.

Giving no answer, the demon shot forwards, but this time, Inuyasha was the quicker.

Slamming open the shouji door, the hanyou shot down the halls. He didn't turn back at the noisy crunches that signified Naraku's entrance into his house, but instead, sprinted as quickly as his human legs would allow him to. Turning the corner proved to be rather awkward, but when he'd made it into the main entrance area, the hanyou paused.

Everything was…

Quiet.

And as the saying went…

A little _too_ quiet.

"What's taking you so long, little human?" The slimy voice came from within the central chamber.

Eyes shooting towards the north entrance, Inuyasha's mind suddenly registered in horror, that Naraku had taken the liberty of simply breaking through the walls, from the side entrance into the centre of the house. A hand slapped his face in frustration.

"Damn it!"

He should have _known_ that the demon wasn't concerned with damaging _historical_ property.

The half-demon was frozen in indecision.

On the one hand, his enemy blocked his only sanctuary for miles, and the chances that he'd get past the demon alive were, suffice to say, slim.

However, if he _didn't_ make his way into the holy area, then his chances of survival were even smaller.

Inuyasha's eyes darkened with anger as they focused onto the northern door.

"Bastard."

Naraku was most likely waiting for him, smug expression on his face. The only reason the shape-shifter wasn't coming after him right at that moment, was that Naraku was probably certain of Inuyasha's decision- to get to the safe area.

'To hell with that.'

And abruptly, another choice that was so clear, so obvious, that it stunned him that he hadn't thought of it sooner, came to mind.

The garden.

'I am such an idiot.'

Why had he wasted all that precious time in trying to get to the temple?

Although now probably wasn't the best of times to be asking for assistance from the spirit, Inuyasha was sure that Kagome would understand. And even though this would be a huge dent in his pride, anything would be better that death, wouldn't it? After all, she wouldn't want to see him _dead_, right?

He paused.

Well _that_ was completely left to speculation.

Mind made up, the hanyou made a one hundred eighty degree turn, crashing through the delicate doors to the outside. Wasting no time in nursing the splinters in his shoulder, Inuyasha then proceeded to sprint towards the rear of his house, hoping against hope that Naraku hadn't figured out his plan.

There was an explosion of wood just in front of him.

Well, so much for hope.

The shape-shifter can created another two holes in his house, crashing through to stop just in front of the man.

Inuyasha skidded to a stop, arm raised in defense against the flying wood chips.

"Going somewhere?"

Without pausing, Naraku shot forwards towards the hanyou, arm raised. However, Inuyasha'd learned from his previous experience, and veered to the side just before being hit. He continued to run, sprinting towards the back of his property. His bare feet pounded over the damp grass, and his gaze was drawn to the hole made by the shape-shifter.

For a split second, the hanyou reconsidered his plan- to go into the central chamber the way Naraku had come out, but he quickly changed his mind. For at the floor of the gaping hole, was a mass of poisonous-looking sludge. It was quickly dissolving the surrounding wood, and Inuyasha grimaced at the thought of what the miasma would do to his human feet.

He shook his head.

'Right. Forwards_. Concentrate.'_

s 

But no sooner than he'd refocused, than a piercing pain bore through his body.

Lavender eyes widened in shock and pain, as his feet left the ground and his body arched forwards. Flying through the air in a graceful arc, Inuyasha's body fell to the floor, where he lay still and twitching. His dark hair glistened with the blood that had splattered onto it. His eyes were scrunched in pain.

When the hanyou tried to lift himself, he realised, with shock, that he couldn't.

A pain-filled groan vibrated through his chest, and he realised, even that small movement hurt.

He couldn't do _anything_.

He was paralysed.

Had Inuyasha been able to see the damage done to his body, even _he'd_ have been shocked.

Naraku had, quite literally, pierced a hold into his torso. The poisonous residue continued to burn and eat away at his flesh, causing immense waves of pain to spread over Inuyasha's body. In fact, it was only through some _miracle_, that the hanyou was even still alive.

But no, he wouldn't be alive for much longer.

"That was actually pretty easy." Naraku's oily voice came from somewhere behind him, but it was strangely distant and faint. "You really are just a weak little hanyou, aren't you?" It was taunting, and Inuyasha desperately wanted to silence it forever, but he couldn't.

The pain was slowly draining away from the half-demon. He felt oddly light-headed and giddy; blackness was, once again, entering his sight.

From some sense that Inuyasha couldn't identify, he noticed that the shape-shifter was now crouching next to him. "I don't know why I was so worried about you." A delicately formed hand reached out and raised the half-demon's chin so that he was staring into his eyes.

His lavender eyes were unfocused.

"Pathetic."

He dropped his chin.

"You deserve to die."

Inuyasha didn't notice as he stood up to his full height, arm poised to deliver the final strike. And indeed, even if he had, the hanyou wouldn't have been able to do anything to prevent the swift oncoming of death.

But, even as Naraku's arm twisted and lengthened into a sharply pointed limb, the sounds of a car reached the hanyou's diminishing hearing.

Even as the spiked appendage came flying downwards towards the area of his heart, several indistinguishable shouts echoed silently in Inuyasha's head.

His breathing was slowing.

His senses were dulling.

And even as a last shout penetrated into the suffocating silence, his life was fading away.

"_Kazaana_!"

Help had arrived.

But it was too late in coming.

Inuyasha's world plunged into darkness.

--

"How much further can it be?" Sango followed her boyfriend's back, hands clutching at the backpack that held the exterminating supplies she'd brought. "You said half an hour, didn't you?" Kirara mewed at her side.

His head turned back, aware of her fatigue. "Just a few more blocks." He lagged for a moment, waiting for her to become level with him. "We're almost there."

The woman looked back nervously, the impending feeling of doom looming over her senses. "I just feel like…" She drifted off. "Like something bad's going to happen." She stared anxiously at Miroku. "I'm worried about Inuyasha." A dry chuckle made her raise her eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

"Do you ever get this worried about _me_?" At her stony expression, the man raised his palm in a placating manner. "Right. Not funny. I know." He extended his arm to rest over her shoulders. "But really, Inuyasha can take care of himself." He adjusted his pace so that they were barely moving above a stroll.

Glancing at the sky, Sango noticed that the sun was beginning its daily descent into the west. For a moment, she was caught up in the beauty of it, when a thought struck her.

"Hey… isn't it the new moon tonight?" She looked at him curiously.

Miroku froze.

He looked at his watch, then at the sky, before promptly picking up his speed into a light jog.

She caught up to him, noticing the tenseness in his shoulders. "Why so worried now?"

"It's his night of weakness, isn't it?"

She nodded.

The man gave her a sidelong look. "And Inuyasha tends to act a little… rashly when he's human." He shook his head. "You're right. The quicker we can get back, the better."

The pair fell into silence as they hurried through the strangely clear streets of Kyoto. They'd already left the scene of the accident long behind, and the blares of horns had faded away. The tall, concrete buildings passed one by one, and Miroku scanned each of them in turn.

"Just… one more… block to go…" His breath came in short puffs.

Sango glanced at him, a twinkle of amusement in her eyes, "Tired already?"

His forehead etched into a frown. "What do you mean?" He gave her a smug smile. "I'm in perfect shape."

"One more block, right?" She grinned. "It's a race, then."

And without giving another warning, the woman shot forwards. The demon cat paused to give one glance to the man, before she sprung out after her mistress. Her boyfriend's pace slackened in disbelief. "What? A race? Now?" Shaking his head, Miroku too, increased his speed. He was quickly drawing level with her, but even then, she was several feet closer to the goal than she was.

Kirara had already reached the other side, and she waited patiently for the slower humans to catch up. Sango was nearing the intersection with an amazing speed, but with her determination at winning, she hadn't spotted the danger that was just around the corner.

"Sango!" Eyes widening in alarm, the man sped forwards with renewed energy. "Sango, watch it!"

A truck, having come seemingly from nowhere, was barrelling down at the woman with a speed that was definitely beyond the limits. She froze, her eyes wide at the sight of the rapidly approaching headlights. Her arms raised, as she covered her head.

Giving a roar, the fire cat suddenly transformed and leapt towards her mistress, but even the demon's speed wouldn't carry her to the woman in time.

"No! Don't stop running!" With a last spurt of force, Miroku leaped from the curb and tackled his girlfriend, throwing her against the edge of the other side of the street just before they both were hit. The truck continued to move, the driver either unaware, or uncaring at the accident he'd almost caused. "For the sake of Buddha, don't do something that reckless again!" He shook her by the shoulders before hugging her close in relief.

For her part, Sango was still slightly shell-shocked at how close she'd come to death, or at the very least, being seriously injured. But as soon as the warmth of her lover's arms encircled her, she broke out of it, clutching his shirt tightly in her fists.

Kirara gave a gentle roar of relief, transforming back to her gentler form.

"Oh gods." She choked. "What's wrong with me?" She felt the tears sting at her eyes and buried her face into his chest. "I didn't even notice it until you shouted."

The man rubbed her back, his own face pressing against the top of her head. "Shh… You're not hurt." His hand roved over his body, this time for perfectly reasonable reasons, searching for any sign of injury. "And that's really what matters." Deeply violet eyes shot up in search for the vanished truck. "What I want to know, is why that guy didn't brake when he saw you."

Watching the couple, the demon kitty padded over, rubbing gently against Sango's side. She sniffled quietly. "And… and… I don't even know if that hurt the… baby…" Her voice was quiet and remorseful. She opened her eyes to look into the bright, slitted ones of her cat. "Kirara? Do you know…?"

The cat gave a reassuring mew, rubbing against her mistress' stomach.

"Come on, now." Lifting them both to their feet, Miroku steadied the woman. He placed a reassuring kiss to the top of her head. "Don't worry about it. Let's go in." He dusted her off gently, turning her so she was facing the entrance to a tall building. Bending down, he picked up his staff, and carefully inspected it, finding no damages.

Sango leaned against him for support, as he directed them both into the richly furnished building. It was dark and quiet, unlike the brightness when he'd last come with Inuyasha. Their footsteps echoed eerily in the silence, sounding echoed and hollow in the hallway. Kirara leapt in front of them, her demonic eyes surveying the building for any danger.

"It's not normally this creepy in here, is it?" Her earlier shock had worn away, and Sango's speech was punctuated only by a few hiccoughs.

He slid her a look. "Would you like to make a bet on that?"

She sighed and shook her head.

At every corner they turned, they half-expected something to pop out and attack, but nothing happened. When finally, they reached the security check point, Miroku's nerves were spiked with anxiety at the lack of activity. However, since Kirara wasn't reacting to anything, the couple was able to relax a little more.

But when a sudden, loud noise reverberated through the empty room, the monk startled badly, his arm snapping up to bring his staff in front of them both.

They held their breaths.

There was a pause.

When… his cellular phone rang again.

Shoulders slumping from the relief, Miroku breathed a sigh and fished the device out of the pocket. He pushed a button and pressed it to his ear. "Hey."

His girlfriend watched him, a hand at her chest from the scare he'd given her. He nodded his head once, then twice, and without saying another word, hung up.

She stared at him.

Noticing her gaze, he grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that." He ran a hand through his hair. "Sesshoumaru's waiting for us in the parking lot."

She clapped her hands together. "Lead the way."

Breathing out, the man frowned at the barred area in front, before shrugging and hopping the gate. The demonic kitty followed him, only she just slid easily under the barricade. He turned back to help the woman, only to find that she was quite capable of leaping over the blockage with far more clearance than he himself had gotten.

He poked her teasingly. "Show off."

She grinned, before walking towards the elevator.

His hand on her arm pulled her towards the stairs.

In response to her questioning gaze, he responded, "The electricity's out." He tugged her towards the open door, and they both clattered noisily down the steps. "I seems as though the outage happened at about the same time as when the crash did."

A shiver ran down Sango's spine. "You think they're connected?'

He shrugged helplessly. "Probably."

In a matter of minutes, the pair had cleared the flight of steps, and was through the door that led into the underground parking lot. The cold air rushed at them as they ran through the empty space.

"It's cold." Sango shivered and found a black jacket thrown at her. "Thanks."

He nodded, showing he'd heard. "Now, where's the B6 divider?"

She threw on the jacket, and spotted the black letter painted on the wall. "There."

Miroku gently tugged on her hand again, as they both hurried towards the eastern area of the parking lot. After moving past a cement divider, they were met with an empty area, except for…

"Why is it that you humans are so slow?"

The cool, slightly annoyed sounding voice came from a man dressed in white business casual clothes. His silver hair streamed behind him, seeming to be impossibly smooth for its length. Golden-amber eyes stared at them lazily, and his arms were crossed in front of his chest.

Miroku looked to his side and smiled wryly at the wide-eyed look on his girlfriend's face.

"_That_'s Inuyasha's brother?" She gaped.

Yeah.

Sesshoumaru had that effect on people.

"His _half_-brother," he corrected automatically. The demon lord pushed off the black-coloured car he'd been leaning against. His gaze was trained on the pair. "I am no hanyou."

Coming to her senses, Sango suddenly bowed low. "Sesshoumaru-sama. It is an honour."

He paused in his action of opening the car door. When he looked at the woman, his expression was slightly clouded. His eyes were narrowed. "So, you are one who has not forgotten the old ways." The demon's voice was soft.

Miroku looked from one person to the other in slight confusion, before promptly placing an arm possessively over Sango's shoulders. "Yeah. Hey, Sesshoumaru. This is Sango. My _girlfriend_."

She looked at him rather flatly.

Kirara mewed.

The demon, without even turning around, spoke calmly, "I have no intention of taking your mate." Sesshoumaru opened the door to the driver's side and slid in. "And if you wish to reach my little brother before it's too late, get in."

The door slammed shut.

Miroku turned to his girlfriend and found her eyebrow raised. "What?"

"The way you act…" She shook her head, sighing. "Especially considering _your_ habits."

He shrugged. "You were acting strangely."

"He's a _lord_." Sango led the way over to one of the rear doors. "And besides, I didn't know that Inuyasha's brother looked so much like him."

"Don't let _him_ hear you saying that."

She rolled his eyes, allowing her cat to jump in before she herself do stepped into the car. It was luxuriously padded, the seats covered with a dark coloured leather. The windows were tinted, dissuading any curious onlookers. All in all, every single aspect of the interior- not to mention the exterior- spoke of extreme wealth.

Miroku slid in after his girlfriend. "So, where's the chauffeur?" He'd meant it as a joke.

"Jaken is tending to Rin." Sesshoumar's eyes glanced at him through the review mirror. He started the car.

The monk's eyebrow shot up in surprise. "Your secretary?"

"Yes." He paused. "It seems as though she were attacked." There was a barely recognisable edge to the demon's voice. "Naraku is becoming bolder."

Sango, who had been admiring the smoothness of the ride, as they pulled out of the parking lot, snapped her attention back to the conversation. "He _attacked_ your _secretary_? Why?"

That, however, the inu-youkai didn't answer. He remained silent, the quiet noise of the car's motor filling in the silence. The couple in back exchanged perplexed looks, before Miroku looked absently out of his window.

The sky was darkening.

Almost as if sensing the monk's thoughts, Sesshoumaru remarked casually, "Tonight will bring the new moon."

Violet eyes snapped to the front. He paused, not knowing whether to reveal his best friend's secret to his brother or not. "Yes… So?"

A dry scoff came from the front. "Do you not think I know?"

"Ahh… I didn't think-" Miroku cut himself short before trying again. "Well, Inuyasha doesn't seem to be the type to… share that type of… information."

Sango offered her support. "And you two never had the best of relationships."

There was a snort. "Don't you think one would notice when the scent of his half brother- who lives in the same house- changed once every month on the new moon?"

The humans glanced at each other. "I guess," was the simultaneous answer.

"So… you know where to go, right?" Miroku questioned lightly.

"Yes."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Real-"

"Miroku… Stop it." Sango gave him a look. "I'm sure, if Inuyasha's brother was the one who informed him of the property in the first place, then he'll know where to go." Her tone was patient.

"…Right."

The woman sighed tiredly, looking out of the window at the buildings flashing past, as her boyfriend attempted (and failed) to start a conversation with the demon. Her eyes started to droop, and the gentle humming of the car did nothing to help her sleepiness. Sesshoumaru's driving was almost everything his brother's was not- smooth, and without any sudden jerks or surprises.

Although she'd intended to stay awake for the next two hours, Kirara's gentle purring acted as a relaxant. Sleep eventually caught up to her, as Sango slowly drifted to the land of dreams…

--

A soft, murmuring voice cut into Sango's dreamless sleep. Her forehead creased as she frowned, and a soft groan escaped her lips. Her eyes drooped open.

The voice stopped, and she saw a blurry figure stoop over her. "Awake?"

A soft, lazy smile crept over her lips as the woman stretched. "Yah—" She yawned. "What time is it?"

Miroku glanced at the time on the dashboard. "About seven thirty." His expression turned more serious. "The sun set five minutes ago."

Blinking, the exterminator shook the lingering effects of sleep away. "What?" Her voice was clearer now. "Already?" Glancing down, she found Kirara curled comfortably on the ground.

"Yeah." The man let out a slightly strained breath. "I've got a bad feeling about this…" He glanced out of the windshield. "The dark clouds are a bad omen." Absently, he played with the beads wrapped around his right hand. "Sesshoumaru's been breaking one forty kilometres, and we still won't get there for another ten minutes; five at the least."

Sango stayed silent, the heaviness growing over her heart as well. "How did we get caught up in all of this?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. At his questioning look, she expanded. "I mean, we were all happy, and stuff. And now, these things have been happening…" She took his cursed hand in both of hers. "Why do we have to be involved?"

Sighing, Miroku stared above her right shoulder, eyes slightly unfocused. "It's dangerous. I know. But…" Violet eyes pierced into softly magenta ones. "But aren't we all friends? I've known Inuyasha for a long time, and I couldn't just leave him alone, you know?"

She nodded.

"And besides, let's not focus on the past." He squeezed her hand. "We can't change that, after all. Let's get Naraku out of the way before thinking about anything else, okay?" Leaning down, he gently brushed his lips over her head. "You're not tired anymore, are you?"

"Mm…"

Up front, Sesshoumaru stared unemotionally out of the windshield. He was seemingly unaffected by the couple's interchange. His eyes narrowed, as they spotted a dark group of clouds hovering over the area where he knew the Hana mansion stood. Adding to the unease was the faint, but disgusting scent of a powerful poison.

"I'd suggest you prepare yourselves." He pressed down a little harder on the accelerator.

The humans in the back looked up. "What?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes darted over to the passenger seat, where his wrapped Tenseiga and another unwrapped sword lay. "There will be some fighting. Naraku is on the property."

With those few words, the atmosphere in the car suddenly sharpened a tenfold. There was a pause, before Sango abruptly unzipped her backpack and pulled out a pair of stiff masks. She handed one to Miroku.

"What's this for?" He held it up, slightly perplexed.

She put hers on, testing the straps for the perfect fit. "If the atmosphere's poisonous, we don't want to be breathing it in." Her voice was slightly muffled. She pulled it down. "I noticed it that other day… you know… in the garden?"

The monk nodded, but frowned when he studied it closely.

She sighed. "What's wrong?"

"It…" He looked at her. "It fastens with a… flower."

Her eyes rolled. "It's only a flower design." Her attention turned to the driver. "Would you like one?"

"I won't be affected."

Reaching into her bag again, the woman extracted a short katana and strapped it to her waist. Then, she attached a hidden blade to her forearm; it was a band that fastened around her arm, with the blade curled up against the length of the arm. In case a situation arose, the blade could be released.

Sango continued to equip herself with various weapons, not noticing the look her on boyfriend's face.

"Sango…"

She looked over, noticing the strained quality of his voice. "What?"

"One, where the heck did you get all of those?"

The woman shrugged. "They were passed down my family." An eyebrow raised. "We _were_ demon exterminators in the warring states era, remember?"

He sucked in a breath. "Okay. But, two, _why_ are you putting on so many weapons?" He glared at her sternly.

"Aren't we going to-"

"I _don't_ want you getting hurt."

"But-"

"And that means, I want Kirara-" the cat's ears perked at the mention of her name, "protecting you, and I don't want you to fight unless absolutely necessary."

"I-"

"Sango…"

She sighed. "Fine."

He held out a hand. "Dagger."

She reluctantly handed it over.

"And the other one."

She took off the one hidden over her calves.

"_And_ the other one."

Sighing, Sango extracted the dagger strapped to her upper arm as well. "Satisfied?"

He nodded. "Yes."

She shook her head, a slight smile flitting over her lips at his worry at her wellbeing. However, the smile was abruptly wiped off, when a sudden fountain of dust and wood was tossed up into the air, accompanied by a loud 'bang'.

"What was-"

"Shit."

Sesshoumaru made a sharp left turn into the gateway, slamming on the brakes. Miroku jumped out of the car before it was even fully stationary. He sprinted to he side of his house, and noticed a tall, dark figure standing over a smaller one. The monk increased his speed, getting closer, and he was momentarily frozen at what he saw.

"Inuyasha!"

His friend was lying, face down, on the ground, a _huge_, _gaping_, _hole_ in his back. Naraku stood, his back turned to him, his arm sharpened into what looked like an extremely long, extremely lethal spike.

"No!" Sango had caught up to him, and when her eyes took in the grizzly scene, her face paled. "Gods above…" Her voice came muffled from behind the mask. Kirara roared fiercely, and with a flash of fire, transformed into her larger form.

"What have you done?"

Naraku's head turned the slightest, his arm freezing in mid-strike. "Oh ho. Back so soon?" He chuckled. "You can watch your friend die." His arm began its decent once more.

"Get behind me!" Miroku acted purely upon instinct as he unstrapped the beads his right hand. Holding it up, he directed the winds of hell towards Naraku. "Kazaana!"

A barely audible gasp of alarm was the only sign that the shape-shifter had realised what was happening. He whirled around, his hair being buffeted by the fierce winds that were drawing him closer to the monk. "Bastard." He grunted, and through pure strength of body, threw himself out harm's way.

Before the monk realised what Naraku'd done, he was already coming at him, Naraku's deadly weapon aimed for his body.

However, just as Miroku sealed his cursed hand and gave a yell, Kirara leapt out at the demon, knocking him off his feet. Giving a furious yowl, the cat continued by tearing her strong jaws through his flesh.

Snarling angrily, Naraku tossed the fire cat far away, and concentrated his attention on the two humans. The woman was kneeling by the dying hanyou, and the man was panting from the exertion of controlling his curse. Red eyes narrowed, and he made for the woman first, his arm still spiked. "She can die first, then."

Miroku gave a strangled yell as the demon shot towards his beloved. "Sango! Watch out!" His human speed was no match for the shape-shifter's acceleration, and he knew, that he was going to be too slow; too late. "Sango!"

But there was no impact.

Instead, the sound of metal cutting through flesh interrupted the noise, and was followed by a prolonged period of silence after.

Raising his head, the monk breathed a sigh of relief, as he saw Inuyasha's brother standing in front of the two. His clothes were splattered with a dark liquid that appeared far too black to be blood. In a clawed hand, was the unsheathed sword, Toukijin. Forged from the teeth of a powerful demon, Toukijin was a blade that could compete with the powerful Tetsusaiga.

Its history was a bloody one. It had been created sometime in history, by a blood thirsty, corrupted sword-smith, who used it to take the lives of the innocent. However, it hadn't been the sword-smith himself who was evil, but the sword that controlled the man's body.

Over the years, the sword had moved from host to host, never find one that could contain its awesome evil force.

Then, it'd been found by Sesshoumaru.

The dog demon, in his younger days, had come across the sword in his roaming travels. He was the only one who could master the katana, and now, it served as his chief weapon of choice.

Sesshoumaru glanced from the gleaming sword to the person standing in front of him. Naraku's right arm was now nothing but a wriggling mass of flesh.

The spiked appendage lay at the dog demon's feet, twitching.

Naraku stood with an expression of surprise and hate on his face. "You."

"Hmph." Sesshoumaru watched him with the barest hint of disgust in his expression. "What is your business here?" He raised Toukijin. "Do you dare challenge this, Sesshoumaru?"

The shape-shifter stirred, indecision battling in his head. He wasn't strong enough to fight the Lord of the Western Land, Leader of the Dog Clan, after all. However, what little pride that remained in his cowardly heart demanded he stay still and fight.

The cowardly side won.

Allowing a sneer cover his face once more, Naraku backed away. "You were lucky today. I will let you live." Red eyes roamed over the still body behind the demon. "But your pitiful brother… isn't as fortunate."

And with that, the dastard fled into the sky.

Sesshoumaru watched the man flee in distaste. In a smooth movement, he sheathed Toukijin at his hip, where it rested beside another sword: Tenseiga.

The demon was drawn from his thoughts when a flurry of movement came from his left. The man- Miroku, rushed over, kneeling beside his still brother. He ripped off the mask from his face and tossed it away, uncaring of where it landed. Sesshoumaru scented the air, and his eyes darkened, for what it told him was not good. He slowly walked over to join the humans.

As if confirming his suspicions. The woman- Sango, looked up, her face laden with worry, and tears gathering at her eyes. "He's not waking up!"

Sesshoumaru's gaze travelled beyond her to rest on the face of his brother. His hair was a dark, pitch black, and his ears were human. Inuyasha's eyes were closed, and his face was unusually pale. His body was deathly still; not a single movement disturbed it.

The hanyou's blood was splattered over the grass, below the area where he lay. His clothes too, were stained with blood.

Bending down, the dog demon watched as the monk tried desperately to wake his friend. But even as a clawed hand reached for the hanyou's wrist, Sesshoumaru knew what the humans did not want to accept. Inuyasha's hand was icily cold, and as the demon felt around his wrist, the strange heaviness in his chest grew.

What was this foreign feeling?

Sombre, golden eyes glanced up to find the two humans looking at him expectantly.

He schooled his face carefully.

"He has no pulse."

* * *

Review Responses:--No review responses this time. Nobody really asked a question that wasn't answered in the chapter. XD-- 

**Many Thanks to…**

WhiteDloud

sapphire pink

mikage-aya

Elfin Kagome

humble-bumble

Lily Thorne

NordicaVB –(Who knows whether Naraku knew it was Inuyasha's time of weakness or not…)

cool-chick-rae

ever free

Kibo

Izayoi

Sarcasm Girl8

Misato-Katsuragi2

* * *

--Okay.

::nervous laugh::

I know half of you want to kill me, and the other half wants to torture me, _then_ kill me. -.-;; But then you'd never find out what'll happen next! So, leave a review if you will, and flame if you must- ::checks flame-resistant jacket::- I'm ready for them now. ;)

Till next time…

Ja!

…

::flee::--


	20. Fang of Healing

Disclaimer: I don't own it, but maybe Santa Clause'll give it to me if I ask nicely?

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

x-x

-- Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

-Sombre, golden eyes glanced up to find the two humans looking at him expectantly.

He schooled his face carefully.

"He has no pulse."-

* * *

****

Chapter TWENTY:

Fang of Healing

x-x

There was a pause.

Sango and Miroku stared at the solemn-faced demon, disbelief echoing in their wide eyes. From where she had been thrown, Kirara padded over in her small form, limping slightly from the wound in one of her hind legs. The cat quietly lay down next to the humans, curling into a ball.

"What?" The woman's voice was barely above a whisper.

Sesshoumaru's gaze sharpened, eyes narrowing slightly. "He's dead." He looked down at his brother's body.

Inuyasha's eyes were half lidded, his lips slightly parted. His face was paler than usual, bringing out the darkness of his hair. The half-demon's own blood was splattered over his clothes, face, and hair. Most of it was already drying, turning a dark blackish red colour.

"No." Miroku shook his head, fists clenched. "It can't be. Inuyasha can't- he can't die." He glanced at Sesshoumaru, then at his girlfriend, who seemed just as shocked as he was. "He-… he-" The monk's words faded away, his lips moving soundlessly for a moment. "It's not… fair!" His form shook from the emotion building up within. He had experience in comforting others with their lost, but none of his training had ever prepared him for this.

The demon turned away, partly from the fact that he hated the weakness the humans were showing, and partly from anger at the way he himself was feeling.

His golden eyes hardened at the weakness in himself as they surveyed the dark horizon. Each breath drew in the stench of poison, blood, and most prominently, death. He was almost tempted to breathe in through his mouth instead, but reminded himself that that would be a show of weakness.

"Can't you do something?" The female's voice lulled him to turn back. "Don't you have any ideas? Please?"

Sesshoumaru paused, his gaze straying towards the two swords tied at his hip. As soon as his thoughts brushed over the sword of healing, it pulsed, but was not the only one to do so. On the floor, its brother blade, the Tetsusaiga, throbbed as well.

Noticing this, Miroku gasped. "Tenseiga!" He stood up too quickly, and wobbled. "It's a sword of healing, isn't it?" He stood now, in front of the demon lord. "Heal Inuyasha!"

The slightest frown crossed the dog demon's face as he paused. "Are you giving me orders, human?"

This reply sparked a sudden ferocity in Sango. She stood, glowering at the demon, her fists clenched. "He's your brother! Don't you care about him? You have some way to heal him, and all you say is…" Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Why don't you forget about your damned pride for once and help somebody?"

And just as suddenly as it had started, the tirade stopped, and Sango's eyes widened as she realised what she'd done. Her hand flew to her mouth and she took a step back.

"I didn't mean… I… I… Oh…" Face crumpling, the normally strong woman collapsed to the ground, her shoulders shaking. Miroku sighed, his face heavy, laden with care and grief. He knelt down next to her, whispering soft words of assurance in her ear that were, as they both knew, empty.

For his part, Sesshoumaru's expression hadn't changed in the slightest, but the stiffness in his stance spoke volumes. He could understand the girl's uncontrolled outburst, but certainly didn't have to like it. But then, his gaze was drawn almost irresistibly over to his brother's body, and a clawed hand gripped hard at the hilt of Tenseiga.

The silence stretched.

"Get him to a safe place."

The humans looked up, surprise in their eyes. Miroku managed to unstick his throat. "What?"

The demon didn't look at them. His gaze rested on Inuyasha's body. "Naraku could be back at any moment. Get Inuyasha to a stronghold."

The other two exchanged slightly confused glances. Thinking was slow, with the overload of grief in their hearts. "There's the…" Miroku began slowly. "The garden?"

And with that, Sango's reddened eyes widened. "Oh gods. The garden!" Her gaze shot north. "What's going to happen when Kagome-chan finds out?"

The thought seemed to have just struck her boyfriend as well as his expression became worried. He thought for a moment, before giving a tired, humourless laugh. "At least _she_ can't die again." Violet eyes focused on the dog demon. "Let's go to the garden." He shook his head. "I can place ofuda spells around it, and if comes to the worse, Kagome-sama can provide her assistance."

Sesshoumaru inclined his head slightly.

"Okay, then." Breathing deeply, Miroku helped Sango to her feet and walked over the stand above Inuyasha. His eyes closed painfully, and he swallowed thickly before bending down. The monk hooked his arms under his friend's body, a sudden chill spreading through his body. "Sango… the feet…"

The woman headed over heavily and slowly bent down to take hold of the hanyou's legs. She nodded to Miroku, and together, they heaved upwards, lifting Inuyasha's body. She was surprised by its lightness, considering the half-demon's strength and agility.

Giving a tired mew, Kirara stood up from the ground and transformed, offering to carry the half-demon. Hesitating only slightly, the man nodded and guided them to her. Gently, he lay his friend's upper torso on the fire-cat's warm back. When Sango let go of Inuyasha's legs, they dangled over Kirara's side, as did his head. His back was arched over Kirara's back, his head bobbing with every step she took.

Miroku closed his eyes at the awkward position, reminding himself that Inuyasha could no longer feel pain.

But it did nothing to quell the pain in his own chest.

Sighing heavily, he bent down to pick up his staff, its rings jingling softly from the movement.

Kirara took a step forward and stumbled slightly. But when the two humans moved to remove her load, she growled, pushing onward.

The demon lord followed the procession, his expression completely unreadable. His gait was deceptively smooth and slow as they walked along the side of the building towards the back. Sesshoumaru's gaze strayed to the ground, his lip curling slightly at the dark miasma that was slowly dissolving the grass.

Gradually, the silent group made its way up the path. The space suddenly widened as they cleared the sides of the door. A large stone structure stood at the opposite end of the yard, drawing the dog demon's eyes to it. He stared at it unemotionally, eyes reflecting what little light there was.

The darkness hid many things from the humans' eyes, but Kirara could see, and she led them to the bridge that spanned across the narrow river.

They crossed it safely, one by one, until all stood in front of the great wooden doors that barred entrance into the garden. They stayed there for a while, unsure of how they would confront the spirit within.

Miroku paused for a second, before breathing deeply and opening one of the doors with a gentle push.

A cool, clean wind blew from inside, refreshing the air of its heavy stench. For a moment, the company paused, the breeze blowing away their cares and fatigue, before it wore away, and the ailments returned. They hesitated before the monk slowly led the way inside.

When all four were safely within the garden walls, the door closed on its own, guided by an unforeseen force. They stopped at the mouth of the area, lowering Inuyasha gently to the soft, grass-covered ground. As soon as her load was gone, Kirara transformed back to her usual self, mewing tiredly and licking the wound on her leg. After a while, she closer her eyes and fell into a light slumber.

Her companions glanced around, noting Kagome's absence.

"She'll be here." Miroku shook out his clothes and leaned over Inuyasha. "We should ease Kagome-sama into knowing…"

Sango nodded quietly, and everybody settled to wait.

It was silent in the garden, but unlike the utter stillness of death outside, this was peaceful and calming.

Sesshoumaru's gazed lazily over the grounds, only slightly interested by the power that was hidden on its grounds. He could feel the light hum that hung over the garden, and traced its source to the forest. But that was the peak of his interest, as the dog demon brushed the object out of his mind; he didn't need any objects of power.

But then, his eyes suddenly narrowed, and the demon lord turned his head slightly to face the forest. Something was approaching, its scent alerting him far sooner than his eyes spotted the soft shimmer coming from the trees.

As the person drew closer, he found that it was a girl, but although she smelled human, human she was not.

Not exactly, at least.

The dog demon wasn't surprised, having already been told of the presence of the spirit. Instead of pointing her out to the humans, who were trying to rub the blood off his brother's arms and face, he gazed at the girl silently.

She noticed him, and for a moment, confusion spread into her expression, but then her gaze shot to the two huddled over something on the floor. Then, the confusion deepened in Kagome's eyes as they made a cursory sweep over the group, and found no half-demon.

And then she spotted his feet.

Blue eyes widening, Kagome glided quickly over to the humans. "What happened to you?" She swept past Sesshoumaru without any questions, or even a second glance.

Sango and Miroku both unexpectedly shot up and spun around, surprise and guilt in their expressions

"I didn't hear you coming, Kagome-sama." Miroku managed a slight bow and an awkward smile, his violet eyes trained on the miko's face. "Nor did I feel your aura."

The woman next to him attempted to smile as well but failing horribly. "We've gotten into a little fight, as you can see." She spread out her arms, revealing the dried blood covering her form-fitting clothes.

The girl frowned. "A fight?"

Nodding, the monk gestured a hand to Sesshoumaru, obviously trying to keep the spirit from finding the hanyou. "This is Inuyasha's brother, the Sesshoumaru." He stopped, before hurriedly adding, "-sama."

Kagome's eyes slid to her right and took in the demon lord. He looked so much like his brother, but Sesshoumaru was more delicate-looking, his cheekbones higher, his eyes more narrowed. An air of proper self-confidence and dignity surrounded him, further separating from Inuyasha.

The girl turned and bowed respectively.

He nodded at her.

She returned her attention to the others, head cocked to the side curiously, her forehead creased. Ocean-blue eyes shone with worry as she asked quite bluntly, "Why are you hiding Inuyasha from me?" Her eyes widened slightly as she suddenly noticed something. "And why is his aura so faint?"

The humans blinked, guilty looks flashing over their faces before sorrow overtook them. Sango bit her lip and turned away, unable to stare her friend in the eyes.

Sighing heavily, Miroku took a small step forward. "Please, Kagome-sama. We were trying to think of some way to tell you, but…" Violet eyes looked to his lover, and found tears trickling slowing down her cheeks. "…but perhaps it is best if you saw for yourself."

The monk turned around and gently eased Sango from in front of the hanyou's body.

When Kagome first laid eyes on the hanyou, she thought he was sleeping. His eyes were closed, lips slightly parted as if drawing breath.

But then she noticed the obscene amount of blood covering him.

And her heart grew cold.

His blood.

Inuyasha's.

Completely disregarding the fact that there were some blatant changes in his appearance, Kagome could only focus on the fact that _he wasn't moving_.

"Oh gods." Shaking her head frantically, the girl flung herself to his side, her hands moving to hover inches away from his chest. "No." Her wide, azure eyes began to fill with tears, and darted over his body, looking desperately from something- _some_ sign that Inuyasha was still alive.

"Naraku came after we left…" The monk closed his eyes. "And the new moon is when Inuyasha…"

"Turns human." Kagome whispered, almost to herself as she reached out for his wounds. "Gods…"

The others stayed silent, knowing the miko would need the quiet.

Kagome's eyes closed painfully, tears rolling down her smooth cheeks and flowing off her face to fall through Inuyasha's body and the ground below. "It can't be." She began to sob. "Not after what I told him…" She leaned back, her face contorted in pain as she tilted it down. "Not after what I said…" her voice was barely above a whisper. Her shoulders began to shake.

Sango shivered from a cold that could not be cured by physical heat. Moving away from her boyfriend, she took unsteady steps to the distraught spirit. The woman was unable to place a hand on her shoulder, so she settled for speaking in a calm voice that bellied the storm within.

"Kagome-chan…" The spirit didn't move, her form still shaking uncontrollably. "Don't…" She paused, searching for words. "It- it's going to be okay…" However, she knew her words were empty.

The miko shook her head, and spoke in a voice that was punctuated by sadness. "No it's not." Her head shook again. "No it's not…"

The exterminator closed her eyes, looking for any words that she could say.

She came up with none.

Nothing would be able to quell the grief in Kagome's heart until she herself allowed it. After all, all Sango had to do was to imagine Miroku dead, and the thought alone was too much to bear. She couldn't even begin to imagine how her friend was feeling.

The woman sighed and stepped back into the embrace of her lover.

"You tried." His voice whispered into her ear. "We can't help her. Not now."

She nodded.

All the while, Sesshoumaru had watched with a blank face. His eyes were cold and emotionless, though he did not feel entirely that way. The strange feeling in his chest had grown, and he didn't like it one bit. Emotions were supposed to be foreign to him, and yet here was this feeling of… sorrow he had for his brother.

The demon frowned and turned away from the sight of the crying girl.

The palm of his hand itched to hold Tenseiga; to wield it. He had never intentionally used the fang of healing before, finding its properties useless, but now it seemed as though its time had come. Sesshoumaru thought back to when he had first acquired the katana from his father, and remembered the resent he had held. However, he begrudgingly carried it with him as a reminder of the strength and power of his ancestors.

Did he want to heal his brother?

Surprisingly enough, the answer came easily and quickly: _Yes_.

Despite himself, the demon lord did indeed, want to restore life to Inuyasha. In the many years that had flown by, he had grown considerably. The hanyou had developed his maturity and had dropped most of his childish antics, if their last meeting was anything to go by. His insecurity had lessened, as he'd grown more self-assured and more confident.

And, in any case, Inuyasha had accepted him as brother.

But why? How? Why had the half-demon changed in such a way?

Golden eyes strayed to the girl who still kneeled over the half-demon's body, and an unexpected answer presented itself.

'Her? The woman?' 

It went almost against everything that Sesshoumaru spoke for, but somehow, this girl had obviously made a difference in Inuyasha's life. True, she possessed no true body. But once before, he'd been told that that didn't matter.

Of course, the demon had brushed it away.

But now, the truth of the fact was, quite literally, before his eyes.

Although Sesshoumaru _did_ want to heal his brother, the question was, would he be able to?

He'd never doubted himself before, but the dog-demon had never actually used the Tenseiga for healing purposes. The few times he'd actually drawn the fang were to scare his retainer Jaken, to death.

The dog-demon had been told _how_ the katana worked to bring back the dead- it allowed its wielder to see the pall bearer-imps that came to escort the deceased one's soul to the other world. Then, he could eliminate those demons by cutting through them cleanly. Thus, the escorts would be destroyed, and the soul would not be taken away.

It was all sounded good in theory.

But the problem was actually performing the act.

Well, it looked now was the time to find out.

Sesshoumaru shook himself from his thoughts and refocused his eyes to the outside world.

The ghost-girl was still floating over his brother's body in a kneeling position. Her head remained bowed, her hands were still clenched. She had stopped crying.

Golden eyes flashed and flickered over to the monk as he slowly moved to her. He kneeled beside her, and the girl's head tilted slightly as he began to speak.

"Kagome-sama, maybe…" He paused. "I don't want to sound rude, or anything, but since you're… technically… well… not alive," Miroku chose his words carefully, "then can't you… find him? Talk to him?"

Kagome's head rose slightly as if considering the idea. But then it drooped again. "They'll have gotten him already."

He frowned. "Who?"

"The Wardens." She sighed. Her voice was soft, dead. "Those who guide souls without a body to the other world. Once they take hold of a soul, they do not release it. They're probably preparing him for judgement right now."

Both fell silent.

But then, soft footfalls from behind caused Miroku to turn his head around. The man's eyes widened as he noticed Sesshoumaru approaching with his right hand at his hip, grasping Tenseiga's hilt.

"Move."

Too surprised to object, he moved aside obligingly, allowing Sesshoumaru to get closer to the half-demon. He stopped walking when directly behind the girl

"Move aside." His voice was unusually soft and lacking in edge.

"Walk around me." Kagome responded defiantly. "I'm not moving."

For a moment, the dog-demon paused, his eyes becoming hard and narrow. But then, to the surprise of both humans who were watching, he turned to his right and walked around the spirit.

Sesshoumaru stopped at Inuyasha's head and in one smooth motion, he drew the Tenseiga.

Kagome's head spun around in astonishment as she felt the pure power that emanated from the blade. Her senses began to prickle, and somehow, she knew that if were Sesshoumaru were so inclined, he could cut through her soul right then and there.

For although Tenseiga was a sword of healing in the physical world, it was also a blade of destruction in the land beyond death.

The dog-demon paused, the tip of the blade hovering inches away from the hanyou's neck. It seemed to glow with an unearthly light, and throbbed with energy. His eyes narrowed, flicking over Inuyasha's body for any sign of movement; any hint of the Wardens. Then, suddenly, his hand twitched, but something made him hold back from swinging the katana.

The others watched anxiously, and a new hope grew in Kagome's heart. The seconds trickled away, but still, Sesshoumaru did not react. Then, suddenly, the demon's face twitched and a frown grew over his eyes. His arm dropped to his side, and the glow of Tenseiga was suddenly extinguished.

They didn't dare breathe, not knowing why Sesshoumaru hadn't done anything. His form was ridged, and surprisingly enough, his hand shook with some emotion, be it anger or other.

"I cannot heal him."

The words were like a blow, as Kagome flinched and turned away, her hope abruptly shattered.

Sango and Miroku stared uncomprehendingly.

"What?" The monk shook his head. "Why?"

The lord stepped back, his hand still gripping Tenseiga forcefully. "I cannot heal him as he is now."

This only served to confuse the others even more, as they tried to make sense of his words. "What do you mean, 'as he is now'? Does… does that mean you can still heal him?" At Sango's words, Kagome's head rose slightly, but she didn't speak. Her long, dark bangs hid her eyes.

"Tenseiga heals by destroying the Wardens." Sesshoumaru paused for a second.

"And?"

Golden eyes flashed. "And I saw them."

Miroku frowned, not seeing what the problem was. "So why didn't you kill them?"

The dog-demon didn't answer for a while, choosing to study his brother's body instead. "They seem to be having trouble locating Inuyasha's soul."

The human blinked, still not quite understanding. "They can't find his soul? Then why not just kill them so he can come back? How is that a bad thing?"

"It will do nothing." Sesshoumaru turned slightly, his eyes sweeping over the confused man. "His soul has gone to a place that is not accessible by the living, or those who have entered the land beyond death." He spoke almost as if he were being told what to say by another person. "It is… a neutral land of sorts, where he cannot be claimed by either world; where he is safe until he makes his decision." The demon paused, drawing in a breath. "However, by doing this, he has limited Tenseiga's properties. I can only restore him to life when he concedes to the Wardens."

"He has to succumb to death before he can live again." Miroku gave out a dry laugh. "How ironic."

"And," Sesshoumaru glanced around at the humans. "Inuyasha has to want to live. I cannot heal him if he is unwilling."

Sango sighed. "So many rules." She shook her head. "This is way too complicated. But there is a chance that Inuyasha can be saved, right?" A slight smile grew on her lips. "Isn't that good news, Kagome-chan?" She turned to the spirit.

The miko seemed to have become frozen, lines on her forehead. Azure eyes were narrowed in deep thought, and suddenly, Kagome's form began to shake.

"Kagome-chan?" The exterminator's tone was worried as she got up and moved towards the other. "What's wr—"

"I know where he is." When she looked up, Kagome's eyes were unusually bright. "He's- The idiot!" She shook her head, almost not believing what she had realised. "But why…?"

The other three stared curiously at the woman. "What do you mean?" Miroku began slowly. "Do you… know _where_ this place is?"

The miko shook her head absently, her thoughts still swirling. "Yes… I've been there…" Her voice was breathy, "before I came… back…" Her eyes narrowed a little. "But why he'd chose to do that… I don't…" She glanced up again and tried to explain some of the thoughts. Her tone became stronger."Very few people choose that path. Most just… move on."

A glint of realisation sparked in Miroku's mind as he caught on to what Kagome was thinking. "You mean… Inuyasha's like… you?"

She didn't respond, her mind seemingly elsewhere.

Abruptly, Kagome stood upright, an expression of determination on her face. "I'm going back." She glanced at her friends. "I'll be back soon." And with nothing more than that, the girl vanished purely into thin air.

Miroku and Sango gaped at where she had last been, while Sesshoumaru seemed merely to be only mildly surprised and curious.

He stared at the area for a while before turning around and moving below the eaves of a tall tree, slowly setting himself down onto the ground. The demon glanced up, watching as the stars twinkled brightly above him. For a moment, he was distracted by the intensity of them, never having had the opportunity to watch them since he had been young. The city's lights and pollution shielded too much of the sky from view.

It began to lightly drizzle.

The humans seemed to suddenly notice Sesshoumaru's departure. They watched him for a moment, and then turned simultaneously towards each other.

"Where is she?" Sango demanded of her boyfriend. "Where did she go?"

Miroku paused, collecting his thoughts. "I think, perhaps, she went to where Inuyasha is."

The woman frowned. "That doesn't help."

"Well…" He sighed and sat down on the damp grass. "Most of the time, when a person dies, their soul moves onto the afterlife, where they are judged." He leaned tipped his head back, a slight smile tipping his lips as the cool water fell onto his face.

Sango dropped down beside him. "Judged?"

"If they have led truly evil lives, then the soul is sent to the hells for punishment. If not, then there are two roads they will travel." The monk thought for a moment. "If they have led pure lives, and have fulfilled the terms, they are allowed into Nirvana. But, if they have not, then they are sent back to the physical world in the form of a new life with no memory of any past lives."

"Reincarnation."

The smile grew. "Exactly."

"But what does this have to do with Inuyasha… and where he is?"

"I'm getting to that."

"…Then get to it already."

Miroku glanced over, violet eyes peaceful and calming. "Get to what?"

"Miroku…" She smacked him lightly. "How can you be like this when somebody's died?"

He shrugged. "There's nothing we can do now, except to wait."

She sighed. "Just start explaining."

"Sometimes, very rarely, a person chooses not to move on. They do not allow themselves to be captured by the Wardens, and go to the neutral land- just as Sesshoumaru mentioned. Then, after some time, they may choose to come back to the physical world to roam as a spirit… a 'ghost', I guess."

Sango drew in a soft breath. "Like Kagome-chan?"

"Yeah. However, there _is_ a price for the extra time." Miroku sighed. "The soul is sent back to the area where their body died, but they don't know _where_ the body itself is. They can sense it, and they have to find it in order to be taken by the Wardens. Until then, their doomed to wander."

"But…" her expression saddened slightly. "Why would a person want to wander?" She looked over to the man.

His expression became slightly vacant. "I guess sometimes, it's unresolved issues… and sometimes, it's a because of a strong surge of emotion when the person died… like Kagome-sama."

The woman nodded absently. "What about Inuyasha, though? What would make him want to stay?" She played with the grass. "What do _you_ think happened?"

Miroku frowned a little before the corner of his mouth tipped upwards. "What do you think?"

"I'm not a mind reader." She rolled her eyes. "Humour me."

"What has affected Inuyasha's life these past… weeks? Can't you guess anything?"

She smiled slightly. "I have my own thoughts. I want to know yours."

He laughed, the earlier gloom dissipating. "And…" He leaned over and threw his arms over her. "And what if my thoughts are the same as yours?"

The smile widened into a grin. "Would you be thinking about Kagome-chan?"

"Mm." He nuzzled her neck.

"Then you'd be right." She sighed. "Imagine how hard that relationship must be…" She suddenly felt guilty at how she was taking things so lightly at the moment. Her smile faded.

Noticing her reserve, Miroku backed off and exhaled deeply. "Yeah, but it wasn't exactly easy for us either." He pulled her close to him. "And we worked out."

"You're right, I guess." A soft smile lifted the corners of her mouth. "We'll just have to see what happens."

"Indeed." The man grinned and stood up, a hand slipping into a pant pocket.

She pouted slightly. "Where are you going?"

He flashed some pieces of white paper in the air. "I'm going to put up the ofuda spells. We wouldn't want Naraku dropping in on us now, would we?"

Sango sighed and mumbled. "And we were having a moment…"

"What was that?"

"Nothing." She turned her back to him. "Go and play with your spells."

Miroku hesistated, torn. On the one hand, if he didn't leave and put up the spells, and Naraku came back, the small group would most likely be at a disadvantage.

But on the other hand, if he _did_ leave, then Sango was likely to ignore, and or, hurt him.

It was either everybody or himself.

The monk sighed.

He really didn't have a choice, now did he?

* * *

Review Responses:

-- tsuki  
Re: Sesshomaru's boa is not a boa; it is his tail. He has to wear it; it is connected

Yes, well, I've used it as both, and both times, I've been corrected. -.-;; In this story, it's going to be a boa, but in other stories, it'll probably be a tail. Personally, I'd like it better if it were a tail (kawaii!), and in any case, his father has one that splits into two (confusing?). For now, I think I'll refer to it as 'the Fluffy'. ;)

-- sapphire pink  
Re: --Wow this is so sad  
If Inuyasha dies, I will refuse u Pocky XD  
No please let sesshy heal him with Tenseiga  
please?  
And I bet Sesshy cares about Inu  
Wat else is the foreign feeling--

Re: --Wow this is so sadIf Inuyasha dies, I will refuse u Pocky XDNo please let sesshy heal him with Tenseigaplease?And I bet Sesshy cares about InuWat else is the foreign feeling-- 

No! Refuse me pocky? ::puppy eyes:: Oooh… but Sesshoumaru can't heal him… yet. Does he care for Inuyasha? Probably. J

-- Elfin Kagome  
Re: --Watch out, those "flame-resistant" things have a habit of backfiring. Well, I'm very happy you updated! Hmm...is this going to be one of those "die for 5 minutes then come back to life situations"? Or maybe Tenseiga? Or maybe you're leaving him dead...Oh well, guess I'll find out when you next update! Sayonara!--

Well, thankfully, I didn't have to use it. You guys are awesome. 'Die for 5 minutes then come back to life'? Well… I'd estimate that Inuyasha's been dead for a lot longer than 5 minutes, no? And Tenseiga can't work at the moment. Shall I leave him dead? Well, that depends on what Kagome says to Inuyasha… Can't you just sense the impending fluff?

-- Kamako  
Re: --...I am afraid I am going to have to yell at you now.  
...No! How mean! You killed Inuyasha!  
starts crying  
wa!  
stops suddenly  
Hey...is Sesshoumaru gonna bring Inuyasha back to life with Tenseiga?--

Re: --...I am afraid I am going to have to yell at you now....No! How mean! You killed Inuyasha!starts cryingwa!stops suddenlyHey...is Sesshoumaru gonna bring Inuyasha back to life with Tenseiga?-- 

Yell at me? Because I killed Inuyasha? Aww… but you know I'm going to have a happy ending, right? Right? Or… can I make it bittersweet? … I shall decide later.

-- ILOVEINUS589  
Re: --AH! I have two things in mind...but I won't say because I don't want you changing it around now that I said it...I LOVE THIS STORY! so much detail...but will Kagome and Inuyasha ever be together?--

Will they ever be together? Perhaps. You know how stubborn they both are. Conflicting personalities, no? But hey, miracles can happen… ;)

-- Lluvia the Immortal Wolfgirl  
Re: --(steals flame resistant jacket) Muhahahaha!  
(goes off to kill and torture Naraku)  
Hey! is Kagome gonna be able to save Inuyasha, cause she's a priestess, or using the Shikon jewel?-- 

No! My protection! Come back! Will Kagome save Inuyasha? In some way, probably. Or will she let him stay that way so they can be together and have a family of little ghost kids. … Oooh… Too weird for words.

-- Mizu no Mitsukai  
Re: --Hello! I'm quite new here, and I'd just read your story (and I really like it!). I'm just a guest in this web page, but I intend on making my own first fanfic and...well...on with what I wanted to say, I have a question, have you considered to revive Kagome with the Tenseiga? I mean Sessho only needs her body (better say its remains) to do that. What am I saying! You are the author and you probably have already think of that. well, it's kinda late so I will be waiting for your update. Ja ne!-- I'm glad you like it, and good luck on your writing prospects! To revive Kagome with Tenseiga? That _could_ work, but I'm sure I'm going to find some way to botch that up. …whoops. Shouldn't have said that. J I'll see you next time, ne? 

--

Many Thanks to:

NordicaVB

SilverStarWing- (Shh! ;))

InusAkane

ever free

Izayoi

snappy8000

humble-bumble

AnimeAngelz

Mini Nicka

Lily Thorn

DragonLover7

Kagome1015

cool-chick-rae

M.M -(surprisingly enough, you're the first person to mention the jewel… XD)

animemistress419

kitty

KaNaGi

kirara goddess

Ryuu no Taiyo -(but if you kill me, I can't very well update, now can I? ;))

Mystic-Soul

Do a DAMN GOOGLE SEARCH –(love your name. May I ask why you chose it? ;))

ineXpressible

Midnight echo

* * *

--Thanks for the reviews; I love you guys. ;) And even when I killed off Inuyasha! My readers are so understanding!

Well, you still don't know Inuyasha's fate yet. Am I evil or what? But, to ward off flames that may come, I shall tell you this: There will most likely be **fluff** in the next chapter! And, I'm predicting at least 4, maybe 6 or 7 more chapters left before the story ends. I never imagined it'd be this long.

The chapter was a little slow…

Okay, I've kept you for long enough…

Till next time…

Ja!—


	21. Riddled Feelings

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership to the Inuyasha series or any of its characters. However, if it were possible, I would like to borrow Inuyasha, just to pet his ears.

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

--

-- Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

-It was either everybody or himself.

The monk sighed.

He really didn't have a choice, now did he?-

--

****

Chapter TWENTY-ONE:

Riddled Feelings

--

Kagome was lost.

She had left the others, phasing over to the Land between Life and Death… only to discover that it was a _lot_ larger than she'd initially anticipated. It was an easy matter getting here, since all she had to do, was to let her mind wander. Once she no longer thought about staying in the physical world, she no longer did, and was teleported instantly to the other world.

But this arrangement proved to be no more helpful than being in the physical world.

The Land was supposedly theoretical. It was small, and at the same time, large. It existed, and at the same time, didn't. Time did not exist in this land, but it simultaneously ticked away in the physical world. Just as there the laws of physic applied to the physical world, they played a large part here, too.

The supernatural powers that a spirit had in the physical world could not be used here.

The Land between Life and Death is to lost souls, as the physical world is to the living.

In other words, the Land between Life and Death had no definitive size, was questionable in existence, and apparently did not exist within the proximity of Time.

Supposedly, the Land between Life and Death mirrored the desired resting-place of the soul, creating the perfect utopia for a lost spirit. Whatever object the soul wanted, provided it wasn't another soul, it could have in this paradise of sorts _(Check the note at the end of the story if confused)_. However, although the place did create a perfect imitation of what was non-spiritual, it wasn't able to make copies of the souls of others.

In other words, you had the perfect world.

Just nobody real to share it with.

Kagome had once been dropped here, five centuries ago. She'd existed happily in the peacefulness of her persoanl dream world, but after a while, had grown weary of it. Just as all lost soul do, she'd become wearied by the loneliness of it all, and desired for something more real; something that was actually real. And then, by her own free will, Kagome had left Utopia, choosing to drop in on the mortal world and watch over its proceedings.

Time after time again, the girl had returned to the Land for brief visits, to leave her melancholy thoughts behind for a while. Here, she could forget all her troubles and rest in peaceful oblivion for a while. However, she never stayed there for long, choosing to suffer in the world in which she once lived, rather than to enjoy a false happiness in a dream world.

Lost souls often ventured into the Land as a means of escape.

But this time, Kagome wasn't in this place seeking sanctuary.

No, she was searching for Inuyasha.

Now, creating one's own utopia was a piece of cake, but _finding_ somebody in the Land between Life and Death was an entirely different matter, as the girl soon learned. There wasn't a directory she could check; nor was there a place where all the 'new ghosts' went.

In fact, never before, had Kagome ever encountered another spirit in this world.

"What did I get myself into?" She groaned softly to herself, rubbing her forehead.

At the moment, the one thing she wanted the most was to be able to find Inuyasha. She wanted to see his face; his gorgeous eyes… even that annoyingly cocky smirk. She desired to know that he was safe; to know that he wasn't suffering in some pit somewhere.

And even though most of her just wanted to know Inuyasha was okay, there was a tiny part of her, whose reasons for seeing the half-demon were far more selfish. She wanted to see him to quell the ache in her heart. She wanted for him to reassure her; to comfort her.

That same small part of her actually held high anticipation to find him, knowing that he would be the same as her.

Because that meant that she would be able to indulge in her…

Kagome shook her head, throwing the thought out of her mind.

She couldn't think like that.

At least… not until she found him first.

However, that would prove to be a difficult task, as the girl was currently standing in a field that seemed to stretch on and on for eternity. It was occasionally dotted with tall trees, and a lake bubbled just beside her feet. Normally, this would have been the perfect setting for a good session of thinking, but Kagome's mind was on things far from just thinking.

"How am I supposed to find him?" She looked around desperately, hoping that, maybe, there would be an 'exit' sign pointing her in the right direction.

But of course, there was nothing.

A sudden idea lit up in her mind. Kagome paused, thinking about the possibility, before deciding to act upon it. She closed her eyes tightly and thought of another scene…

…and when Kagome opened them, she no longer found herself in the field, but standing on a long, sandy stretch of beach. The small waves rippled gently, tossing on to the sand. There was a cluster of rocks sitting just to her right. However, this proved to be no big improvement, as this seascape stretched on well beyond her eyesight. Except for the change in scenery, there were no differences from this place, to the other.

"Oh, for the love of…" She stomped her foot in frustration. "This is not what I wanted!"

Moving to the nearest boulder, the girl sat down hard upon it. Frustration dotted her expression; a crease lined her forehead. For a few moments, Kagome just sat there, her disappointment evident on her expression. She was deep in thought, searching for something- anything that would help her locate the half-demon.

She bit her lower lip, worry tearing away at her mind. Tears started to gather at the corners of her eyes, but Kagome blinked them away rapidly, refusing to let them fall. Soon, however, her disappointment fell away to a feeling of resentment, as a pout grew on her face. And the resentment bubbled away, soon turning to anger at not having the _one_ thing she wanted.

Her expression considerably darker than it had been before, Kagome hopped off the boulder and stood firmly on the sand. As if mirroring her emotions, the waves of the sea were now high and rather violent, throwing themselves over each other.

"_Inuyasha_!" Her eyes were screwed shut, and her voice echoed across the Land. "_Get over here _right now!" Kagome fisted her hands and held them tightly at her side. Her shoulders were clenched, her form tight and slightly shaking.

Breathing hard and deeply, the woman slowly opened her eyes, the catastrophic ball of feeligns having been lifted off her chest. It felt a lot better, actually, having released her emotions.

Now, she could concentrate on the task at hand.

But before another idea even had the time to edge into her mind, Kagome found her world swirling.

Quite literally.

Azure eyes widening in astonishment, the girl cocked her head to the side and waved her hand in front of her, almost as if trying to feel the changes happening. Her surroundings were disintegrating, whirling in a dizzying mass of confusion. But as much as she wanted to make her head stop spinning, Kagome found she didn't have the will to close her eyes. She continued to watch, wide eyed, when everything just seemed to disappear.

It vanished.

Just like that.

The woman was now standing in a mass of white.

Kagome was frozen, afraid of taking even a step forward in fear of falling into an eternity of nothing. She moved her gaze around her, afraid to do anything else that might trigger something drastic.

But it was soon enough that the world began to swirl again, with particles of colour bleeding into the white expanse. She felt a nauseating dizziness again, and put a hand to her cheek. Her eyes closed and she grimaced, wishing whatever that was happening to stop.

And stop it did.

It took a while before girl became aware of the fact that her world had become stable again. After a few more moments, she deemed it save enough to open her eyes.

Peeking out of the corner of one eye, Kagome took notice that she seemed to have been shifted into a forest of sorts. This certainly hadn't been what she'd been expecting. In fact, she'd never imagined a place quite like the wildness of this forest.

At any case, here, she was, surrounded by coniferous trees of all sorts, most of them towering well over her. And now, she was more lost than ever, not even knowing how the _bloody hell_ she'd arrived in a place such as this in the first place.

"Great… not only is my real world going wrong… now my paradise is screwing up too…" Kagome muttered darkly to herself, her gaze straying around her. "Where am I?" She turned around, the feeling of absolute hopelessness clouding over her again. "Now what?"

The woman walked forwards, taking in the dense woodland that surrounded her, and immediately, she knew that it would be a difficult task indeed, to navigate through his forest. Wherever she turned, the forest ahead seemed to be the same pattern of trees.

The immensity of her task suddenly fell upon her like a ton of bricks, and unable to hold it all in, Kagome sunk to her knees. Her shoulders hunched, and every aspect of her stance spoke of a defeated spirit. She'd tried to find him, but it seemed as though she'd only made things worse. The girl sniffled quietly, now absolutely miserable. Her bangs hung around her eyes, as a tear dripped down her cheek, to hit the earthen ground.

"Hey… Are you—W-why are you crying?"

Her tears abruptly stopped in a startled gasp, as Kagome recognised the presence behind her. She stiffened, almost unwilling to believe what her senses told her. The girl held her tongue, afraid that saying anything would undo what had happened.

Confused by her silence, the person crouched down beside her and placed two hands firmly on her shoulders. "Turn around, will you? I don't want to talk to your back."

And with that, the hands turned her gently but irresistibly, so that she was soon staring into something red.

Wait… 'Red'?

Sufficiently confused, Kagome blinked and tried to make sense of what she was seeing. It only occurred to her to look up after a few silent seconds, and look up she did. Slowly, her eyes travelled upwards, taking in the continuous plane of red fabric, before it abruptly ended in a V-shaped neckline.

"Jeesh, what's wrong with you, woman?"

Kagome was afraid to look anymore upwards, unwilling to take the chance that maybe, this wasn't real; that the person wasn't who she hoped to be. But she wasn't given the choice of staying scared, for a hand moved impatiently from her shoulder, nudging under her chin, and roughly forcing her to look up.

With widened eyes, the girl stared into the face of the one she'd missed for so long. Her breath escaped her in a long sigh, as she took in the scowling face of the hanyou she'd been looking for. His amber eyes burned into hers with an intensity that made her feel breathless with excitement. Her eyes darted up to focus on the twitching dog-ears before retreating to the face.

Timidly, Kagome reached out and poked Inuyasha's chest with a finger.

"You're real…" She breathed quietly. Her head cocked to the side. "And your clothing's different."

He stared at her, completely befuddled. "What the hell are you talking about?"

The girl blinked up at him, face blank.

And then, without any warning whatsoever, Kagome threw herself at him. Even more so confused and now slightly embarrassed, the half-demon just barely caught the girl, falling back onto his rear in the process.

"H-hey! What do you…" He looked nervous around, arms spread out at awkward angles. "What are you doing?" He glanced down at the top of her head when he received no answer, and clumsily patted her back. "St… err… There's nothing to cry for, so stop it!"

She shook her head into his chest, as a she mumbled a few words into his chest.

He frowned. "You were worried? What the hell for?"

Kagome moved back and glared balefully at him. "I thought you were-" she hiccoughed. "-gone forever." She sniffled.

"You were?" Inuyasha scratched his neck slowly, embarrassed. "You shouldn't have cared… it was stupid… emotional…" But despite his weak admonition, the hanyou couldn't help but feel gratified at the revelation that she really _did_ care.

The woman didn't seem to notice the blush on his cheeks, as she went on. "And I yelled at you too." She stared despondently at the ground. "I said things I didn't mean…" Her gaze turned up to his face. "And look at what happened to you!"

The half-demon's gaze turned incredulous. "You think I died 'cause of what you said?"

She shrugged. "Not really, but you _did_ die, and _that_ shouldn't have happened either." Kagome's look suddenly turned stern, and her voice was firm when she next spoke. "And that's why we're going back right now."

Very surprised by the sudden change of attitude, Inuyasha leaned backwards. "What?" Sufficient to say, that hadn't been what he'd been expecting, nor hoping for her to say.

The girl pointed a finger at him. "We are going back right now, and your brother's going to heal you." Her gaze was meaningful and absolute.

"Is that what you came for?" A frown crossed his face, as Inuyasha abruptly stood up, turning his back to Kagome. "That's it?"

She looked up at his back. "What are you talking about? Were you expecting something else?"

"You just want be back so I can… be brought back to life?" His words sounded very strange indeed to the girl's ears.

"Of course!" Kagome sprung to her feet as well, notably confused. "What's the matter with you?"

"I don't want to go back!" He spun his head around angrily. "What is there for me? For a _halfling_ like me?" After glaring into the miko's eyes for a moment, Inuyasha turned again and began to walk away from her.

She stayed still for a moment, staring after him in astonishment. "What do you mean?" Kagome caught up to the hanyou, but he turned his face away. "You have to go back! Why would you want to stay here? It's stupidity!" She shook her head. "Inuyasha, listen to me!"

But he continued to ignore her.

And her anger began to bubble.

"You ingrate!" Kagome stopped in her tracks, placing her feet apart firmly. "You have this opportunity to live again, and you shoot it down like this?" Her shaking voice began to rise in volume. "Do you know what it's like to be like this? Do you have any idea how boring it gets? How lonely?" Her voice trembled, and she broke off, swallowing thickly. She could feel a knife twisting in her heart, and struggled to keep the pain inside.

The girl took in a deep, calming breath, regaining her rattled composure. She closed her eyes and, not seeing that Inuyasha had stopped in his tracks, turned around.

"You know what?" She threw up her hands. "I give up." Slowly, she began to walk away, not wanting to feel the pain in her chest again. "I give up with reasoning with you. You want to stay here?" Kagome let her breath out sadly. "Go ahead. I'm tired of dealing with you." She struggled to push away the rush of sadness. "I can't take anymore more of this."

Common sense told her that it would be easier to just fade away to another scene, but for a reason unknown to Kagome, she continued to walk through the world in which she had found the half-demon.

"Wait…" The one word broke through the suffocating silence.

She hesitated for a second, but hearing nothing else, continued to walk.

"Stop… Please?"

Betraying her words, Kagome stopped walking, her eyes glued to the tree in front of her. She could barely manage herself to breathe, let alone respond. She felt him coming from behind and tensed. But she felt as he stopped just three paces short, and so she let her shoulders relax again.

The girl could feel his doubt, which was made all the clearer when he spoke to her. "You're tired… of me?"

His depressed tone was almost too much for her, as the miko felt her heart clench painfully. But still, she made no movement, staying as still as the trees around her. She wanted; no, needed to hear him say something that she could use to quell the uncertainty battling within her.

Ever since meeting Inuyasha, Kagome had experienced highs and lows like nothing she'd ever had. She'd felt the thrill of love and the anguish of loss. Now, the two emotions tore away at her, demanding her to make a decision: to be with him, or to reject him.

The miko felt him approach her slowly, and forced herself to remain calm. Her still form was deceptive of the thudding of her heart. Kagome felt almost sure that the hanyou could hear the rapid beat of her heart against her chest. She shivered from the anticipation of what he was going to say- at what he was going to do.

And all of a sudden, Kagome felt herself enclosed in a case of warmth. Her eyes widened in shock at the contact, and her brain seemed to shut down. Whatever reaction she'd expected from him, none of them came even _close_ to this. None of her thoughts were coherent, except for the repeating cry of _'He's holding me?'_

The girl fought the urge to lean against him, but lost and allowed herself to fall into his arms. She felt him bend his neck, leaning his face close to her right shoulder.

"Don't leave me." His breath was warm against her ear. She shivered again, though this time, for an entirely different reason. The half-demon nuzzled the side of her neck in a puppy-like fashion, begging for her consent. "…Please?"

"I…" Kagome broke off, biting her lip. She was almost hesitant in giving her answer, but in the end, knew what it had to be. After all, how could she refuse this to him, when it was what she, herself, truly wanted? "I… won't." Her voice was barely above that of a whisper, but the gentle squeeze of his arms around her waist proved that he'd heard.

Inuyasha drew her closer, for once allowing the softer side of his nature to show. His eyes were closed as the hanyou drew in the sweet scent of the woman he loved.

The girl sighed, smiling slightly at how light she felt now. The great weight had been lifted off her chest. She closed her eyes and placed her hands on his, gently rubbing them.

For so long, she'd longed for this.

To feel his body, his warmth.

To be able to hold him and to know that he really, truly needed her.

And that it was all coming true at this one moment was almost too much for her to comprehend. The feelings swirling within her created a powerful euphoria that Kagome wanted to last forever. So she let her mind go blank, and just enjoyed the bliss that encompassed her soul. For once since her death, she felt completely at peace with herself and the world.

The two stood like that for what seemed like an eternity. But eventually, the girl felt the gentle pushes around her waist as Inuyasha urged her to turn around. Kagome sighed and let herself to be turned, releasing her hold on his hands.

Facing him, she looking up into his golden eyes and saw a softness that definitely hadn't been there during their first meeting. They stayed like that for a second, gazing at each other in silence, before she felt his arms tightening again, and with a quiet smile, wrapped her arms around his torso. Kagome rested her head on his chest and sighed again, happily. She felt the weight of Inuyaha's head on hers and hugged him tightly, not wanting for him ever to leave again.

Inuyasha drew her closer, for once allowing the softer side of his nature to show. His eyes were closed as the hanyou drew in the sweet scent of the woman he loved.

Even though they'd only met a few weeks ago, it felt as though they'd known each other for their entire lives. It was as if, up until that moment that they'd met, each person had been missing a part of their soul, and had finally regained it upon meeting the other.

The soft sigh of the gentle breeze blew around them. The forest was quiet, and the atmosphere seemed almost to tingle with approval. The sweet tinkling of far-off wind chimes reached the couple's ears, but they paid no heed to it, too much absorbed in their own little world.

Kagome suddenly noticed as his grip slackened slightly, and moved back, raising her head to smile into his face. "I won't ever leave you. Not if I can help it."

The half-demon gazed at her with a hint of sternness in his expression. "I'm holding you to that."

She nodded wordlessly, expression serene. But then, a flash of doubt crossed her face. She reached up and grabbed some of the material of his red-_haori_. "But you have to promise me something." A sense of urgency pressed into her tone.

Inuyasha frowned, caution awakened. "What?" He looked at her warningly, daring her to say something he wouldn't like.

The woman bit her lip as she stared at him with wide, innocent eyes. "I want…" She paused, thinking for words. "I want… you to be healed-"

"_No!_" The hanyou had jerked back as soon as the words had left her lips, but her grip in his shirt kept him from moving too far away. He glared at her, angry at the very idea she was proposing. "I _don't_ want to… live!" It suddenly occurred to him the absurdity of his statement, but Inuyasha brushed it away.

"Listen!" Kagome shook her head swiftly, desperate for him to hear what she had to say. "Inuyasha, please?" She tugged at his _haori_ earnestly. "Just listen, please?"

The hanyou allowed his gaze to stray back to the girl. But he realised too late, that had he wanted to keep his resolve in the matter, he shouldn't have looked at her at all, for as soon as his eyes met hers, Inuyasha knew that he could deny her nothing. He sighed discretely. "Fine… What?"

The woman smiled at him, though he stared back flatly.

"I know you don't want to… to leave me." Kagome began slowly, seriously. "But, please, come back with me, and let your brother heal you?"

Inuyasha frowned in curiosity. "Why? He asked partly to buy time, and partly to satisfy his need to know. "Why do you want me to live so damned badly?"

"Because." She thought for a moment. "Because… Just because." She smiled at him as the answer flowing into her mind. "Because I want the best for you. Because I don't want to be trapped like I am." The smiled widened. "Because, because, because."

The hanyou crossed his arms. "That doesn't count. Give me a real reason." Doubt entered his face. "Do you not want me here?"

"Yes!"

He raised his eyebrow at her.

She frowned, thinking more deeply of the question. "I mean, no! No, I want you here, but…" Kagome struggled for the right words to describe her feelings. "But…"

"But?"

"But…" The woman lowered her eyes for a moment. "Well, look at it this way…" She looked up at him. "If there was some way for me to be alive again, wouldn't you want me to… to live?" Kagome smiled slightly. "Suppose our roles were reversed. What would you do?"

Inuyasha began to say something, but broke off mid-word. A frown crossed his face, as the hanyou realised just how conflicting the feelings were inside of the girl. He realised that, had he been in her position, he would have urged her to be healed, just as she was doing to him. Although his desire would have been for her to be with him, he would have been willing to make the sacrifice of losing her, just so she could be secure.

A sigh tore from his lips.

And she grinned at him, certain that she'd finally gotten through to him. "So you get it?"

"Yeah…"

"And you'll do it?"

"I…" He paused before agreeing, his gaze sharpening onto her face. He cleared his throat. "Only if you promise me something."

Kagome raised her eyebrow, a little weary of what he was about to demand. "What?"

"Actually… promise me a few things."

She sighed and repeated herself. "What?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms. "That I don't have to go back right now."

The woman smiled. "Done."

"We get to stay here for a while."

"Sure."

A wicked grin lit his face. "I get to play a trick on the others before I get… 'healed'."

She hesitated, more doubtful of this one. "… I guess…"

"And…" His expression turned serious again. "And, you have to promise that we'll try and find a way to bring you back, too."

Kagome staggered backwards, shocked by his proposition. "Wh-what?!" She stared at him, completely bewildered. "But… How…?"

Inuyasha stared at her sternly. "I mean it. If I have to go back, then I'm going to try and get you back, too." His expression turned most stubborn. "And don't you dare try and change my mind."

"But…" For a moment, the girl was left speechless. "But…" She shook her head. "Do you realise how _long_ I've been dead?"

"Five hundred years." He shrugged. "But there's gotta be _some_ way to bring you back, right?" He sighed. "Anyway, let's just drop it now, eh?"

Kagome seemed to want to do anything _but_ dropping the topic, but she gave in with a resigned sigh. "Fine."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

An almost childish smile lit his face. "Good."

The hanyou then grabbed Kagome's arm lightly, pulling her to the foot of a tall maple tree. He sat down, cross-legged, and gave her a meaningful look.

A slight, bemused grin spread across her face, and the girl plopped onto the ground next to him. She shuffled over, until she was leaning on him, her head rested lightly against his upper arm.

"Is this okay?" She gazed at him with wide eyes, a slight blush staining her cheeks.

He grunted lightly, hesitating briefly before drawing an arm around her. Responding to her curious, questioning, slightly embarrassed look, he retorted, "It's cold." His gaze shifted around them. "And besides, it's not as if anyone's going to _see_."

Kagome thought about it for a moment and found that it made perfect sense that the only time Inuyasha would actually be sensitive, would be when there was nobody else to see it. She pouted slightly.

Noticing it, the half-demon raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with you now?"

She searched around for an excuse and tugged lightly on his clothes. "Where did you get these?" He was wearing a pair of _hakama_, not unlike her own, of a deep red colour. His _haori_ was also similar to hers, with the wide sleeves, only they matched his pants in colour. Under the jacket, the half-demon had a cream coloured under-shirt of sorts.

"I was wearing them when I woke up." He shrugged. "They're actually kind of comfortable."

She cocked her head to the side. "Is the great Inuyasha actually talking about clothes?" Kagome teased him lightly.

He stuck his tongue out in a rather childish fashion. "Shut up."

The girl rested her head on the side of his chest. For a moment, they rested in silence, but something was eating at the edge of her mind. Her curiosity had to be satisfied, and so she asked the question.

"You were human." Her eyes flickered up.

Inuyasha stiffened a little, before relaxing. "Yeah…" He looked down. "It was the new moon."

"You turn human on the night of the new moon?" Kagome blinked at him. "Why?"

"You're a priestess, shouldn't you know?" His tone was just a little sharp, but then he softened it. "Every half-demon has a night of weakness." Inuyasha shrugged, trying, but failing, to seem careless. "I guess mine just happened to fall on the new moon."

The girl thought for a moment, not noticing his slight fidgeting.

It seemed that the silence was a little too much for the hanyou, however. "Well?"

She looked up with wide eyes. "What?"

He looked away, slightly embarrassed at the outburst. "Well… what do you think? Is it weak?"

Kagome shrugged. "It's not weak." She gave him a stern look. "You shouldn't beat yourself up just because you're a hanyou, you know." She took his hand, squeezing it slightly. "I like you just the way you are, and actually, I…" A blush spread across the girl's cheeks, and she trailed off.

Raising his eyebrows, Inuyasha glanced down again. "You what?" He shook her slightly when she avoided his gaze. "What? Tell me!"

"I…" Squaring her shoulders, the miko looked straight into his eyes. "And I think you're cute as a human too."

His eyes widened.

She turned away, face extremely red.

After a few moments of silence the half-demon nudged her gently again, encouraging her to return her gaze to him. "You think I'm…" He cleared his throat. "That I'm… cute?"

"Yeah…"

"Well… uuhh…" Inuyasha looked around. "Really?

Kagome shot him a disparaging look.

"Oh. Well I guess that's okay…" he scratched his head, embarrassed.

Slightly disappointed, the girl prodded him. "Okay? It's okay?"

The half-demon got the hint that she wanted him to say _something_. He just didn't know _what_. "What else is there?"

She 'hmphed', crossing her arms. "Nothing."

Panicking, Inuyasha looked around for something to would get rid of the pout on her lips. "Well… I- uh…"

She looked up at him silently, a little amused by the expression on his face.

"I think…" And then the answer suddenly came to the half-demon. "And I think you're cute too!" He blurted it out.

Kagome stared at him flatly. "That's nice."

He frowned. "'Nice'? What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "Nothing." The girl hid a smile, enjoying the game she was playing on the panicking hanyou. "It's nothing."

Inuyasha glared at her in irritation. "What else do you want me to say?"

The girl gave him a look. "As long as you mean it."

"But I do!" The half-demon tightened his arm around her waist. "I do mean it!"

"What do you mean?"

"I think you're beautiful."

Kagome bit her lip to keep from laughing at the distressed look on his face; it was just so cute to see Inuyasha so worked up over such a small matter. "I thought you thought I was cute."

The hanyou suddenly frowned as he caught the slight twitching of her lips. A suspicious look stole across his face, but it smoothed away, to be replaced by a slight smirk.

He bent down and nuzzled her neck. "I think you're beautiful. Happy?"

The girl shuddered, her heart skipping a beat from his rough tone. "Yes."

Inuyasha grinned as he noticed the slight spike in her scent.

And then he moved back. "Good."

Kagome turned her head up, pouting at him as she realised he'd been teasing her. "Jerk."

Her only response from the smug hanyou, was a smirk.

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Review Responses: 

-- **cool-chick-rae**  
Re: How cruel. I wanna know what happens to Inuyasha! I am also curious as to when Kagome finds her body and the jewel, and I can't remember if we ever found out how Kagome died. There were those journal things but was her actual way of dying in there? If it was please refresh my memory. Thanks.

Ahh… this only goes to show how spare my updates are… -.-;; Well, yes, Kagome's death is explained in the story. Hints of it are in Chapter 4, but Naraku tells the full story, in Chapter 14/15. ;) It's a little long to explain here, so I implore you to skim over those chapters for the answer to your questions. :)

--

Many Thanks To: 

humble-bumble

Dark-Magician-41 –Hey, nice to see you again! And Rei still hasn't gotten rid of the violent, tendencies, has she? ;)

Elfin Kagome

WhiteDloud –Die from curiosity? Of course… not… ::nervous glance::

sapphire pink

Mini Nicka

SilverStarWing

NefCanuck –Thanks! XD

Lily Thorne

animemistress419

remix69-er

M.M

Sarcasm Girl8

Do a DAMN GOOGLE SEARCH

Tanwen-Whitefire

AnimeAngelz

Ryous-Crystal

Midnight echo

Silver Hanyou1

Kamako –I don't deserve your pocky… I updated so late… :(

Sumeragi Kousei

ILOVEINUS589

shiroryu of the moon

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The Land between Life and Death: 

Something I completely made up, this is basically an alternate universe that lost souls can go to when they feel like it. In it, they are able to create their own fantasy world, but they cannot incorporate any other souls within it. In other words, there will/should be no souls sharing the same world with another.  
In this world, the laws of physics apply to its inhabitants. Supernatural powers are disabled here.

* * *

--Many, many apologies for the extra-delayed update! . I had writer's block for most parts in the beginning of the story, and when I finally got the ideas flowing, my teachers decided to pile a ton of work on my shoulders… -.-;; Also, if you're interested, I've edited many of my old oneshots. Most of the changes are minor, but I've added a fair amount of content in others. 

I **highly** suggest, that if you don't have author alerts, and are tired of checking on my bio every few days for an update, that you subscribe to my notify list(s). I have one for this story, as well as one for _any_, and _all_ of my works. Check the bio for the correct links, please. )

In any case, I hope you enjoyed the Inuyasha/Kagome exclusive and fluff in this chapter, as well as a teeny, tiny _touch_ of citrus-y tones. ;)

Till next time…

Ja!—


	22. Coming Back

Disclaimer: No— just… No.

"…" – speech

'…' – thoughts

--- - change in scenery or time

--

-- Previously, on The Sealed Garden:

-Inuyasha grinned as he noticed the slight spike in her scent.

And then he moved back. "Good."

Kagome turned her head up, pouting at him as she realised he'd been teasing her. "Jerk."

Her only response from the smug hanyou was a smirk.-

--

****

Chapter TWENTY-TWO:

Coming Back

--

"What's taking them so long?" Sango was pacing between two trees. "Why aren't they back yet?"

From his spot next to one of the aforementioned trees, her boyfriend watched with a sort of resigned amusement glued on his face. He silently debated on whether to annoy her or to leave her be, and quickly decided on the former. "You're assuming, of course, that she's found him."

The minutes had crawled by slowly, and Sango's anxiety had grown with every second that passed by since Kagome's departure. The first minutes had been okay, but once they'd accumulated into quarter-hours, and then a half-hour, the exterminator had found the silence quite perturbing. Miroku's attempts to calm her down had failed, and instead, resulted in several small spats.

Spats, such as the one that was developing right now.

She shot him a brief glare. "Of course I am. How hard could it be to find one person?" She raised an eyebrow. "And Inuyasha, of all people."

But as soon as the words had left her mouth, the woman regretted saying them. A sudden, all-knowing expression floated over Miroku's face, as he developed his 'I-know-more-than-you-do' voice. "While it is impossible to actually measure the extent of that land," he began sagely, "I can safely assume that-"

"Oh, shut it." Sango delivered a gentle kick to his backside. "You just love talking about the wrong things at the wrong times, in the wrong places, don't you?"

"What did I say wrong?"

"You got all… monk-y." She made a face.

The man cocked an eyebrow. "If now isn't the time nor the place, then, pray tell, when and where would be?" He stretched his legs out. "Somebody has died, and I was just… enlightening you a little. So when else should I talk about death, eh?"

She pretended to consider the notion, placing an index finger at the corner of her mouth. "Ahhh… Never." She grinned and crouched in front of him, knocking foreheads with her boyfriend.

Miroku swatted her away gently. "You imp."

Laughing, Sango tapped his head with an index finger. "That's the best you can come up with?"

He made a wry face and abruptly lunged forward, pinning her against the ground. "Is it?"

She laughed.

A notable distance away, where the demon lord was standing, a muscle located just under Sesshoumaru's cheek twitched. His eyes were closed, and his fists were notably clenched. He ran a thumb roughly over each knuckle, hearing, as well as feeling, the satisfying 'pop' as each of them cracked. Despite all this, the dead give-away feature of the dog-demon's annoyance was the steadily tightening jaw-line.

In the past, he'd thought that the only things potent enough to irritate him were Inuyasha, Jaken-his retainer, incompetence, and Inuyasha.

It seemed that he'd been proved wrong.

Sesshoumaru glanced at his watch and felt that same blasted muscle twitch again; it'd been well over an hour since that girl- Kagome- had left to find his brother and bring him back. How long did they intend on keeping them waiting?

His gaze strayed to the left, brushing over the figures of the monk and the exterminator. The demon had had to deal with over an hour of the couple's constant bickering. And although it had been somewhat… _minutely_ amusing in the beginning, their antics had quickly grown to become no more entertaining than watching a mouldy sock.

If he'd thought enduring them had been tiring in the car, then it was near unbearable here. At least he'd been driving the car, but here, there was almost nothing that could distract his attention from the humans. For one thing, if they weren't fighting, then they were being far too cute and _loving_ for his tastes. They were far too affectionate, and in his opinion, _really_ needed to 'Get. A. Room'.

Briefly, Sesshoumaru wondered on whether their actions were to be blamed on the female's obvious conception, but quickly dismissed the thought before it got too out of hand.

Just then, the loud smack of flesh connecting with flesh echoed through the space, causing Sesshoumaru's eyes to flicker towards the humans again. As the situation registered in his brain, the dog-demon closed his eyes in an almost pained grimace. A short, barely audible sigh escaped his lips.

"_Stop doing that_!" Sango was holding her hand up, her other arm positioned protectively over her chest. "Gods, you are such a _pervert_!" Her face was a deep, dark shade of magenta.

Of course, the man's hands had been wandering again. One would think that after all this time, she'd be used to her 'special treatment'.

Miroku stared, wide-eyed, at the perpetrating hand. "But I didn't do it!" A red mark on his face testified to where Sango's palm had met his cheek just seconds ago. He rubbed it with his other hand. "I don't know what happened."

The woman's expression turned dangerously dark. "Don't lie to me. I saw you."

"I swear it!" Miroku waved his hands desperately in front of her face. "I really didn't mean it this time! It's like it had a mind of its own…"

Her eyes rolled. "That's your excuse every time. If I didn't believe it before, why would I now?" Sango sighed, rubbing her temples. "And to think… you're a monk." She threw her hands up.

"It's true!" He protested vehemently. "I really didn't… didn't… tell it to do that… this time." The man stumbled over his words, trying to find the right ones. "I didn't… want it to move."

"Right. Like your hand just suddenly developed a will of its own and _wanted_ to grope me." She glared at him. "More like you did it from habit."

"But-" The man's eyes grew wider, as his left hand began to lift all by itself. "Look! It's doing it again!"

Sango rolled her eyes again, crossing her arms. "Just drop the act. No matter what you do, I still won't believe y— what _are_ you _doing_?" Miroku's hand had suddenly flown forwards, almost dragging the man himself across the grass. Fingers outstretched, it reached out for her chest again. The woman leaned back, her expression still disbelieving and slightly disgusted now. "Stop it!"

"I-- I'm trying!" Despite his cries, however, Miroku's hand continued to grope for her chest. "I can't…" His face twisted from the effort of controlling the unresponsive hand. "Wait…" He leaned back forcefully, trying to pull the appendage away from his girlfriend. "…Whoa!" The hand had abruptly stopped moving, and the man was left to careen backwards and to land ungracefully onto his posterior.

A muttered string of expletives spilled from his mouth as he sat up, rubbing the injured area.

Concern having been roused, Sango moved to his side. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

He turned his face to her. "Just peachy." His expression was flat to mach his tone. "Thanks for asking." Although he really couldn't blame the girl for not believing her, Miroku just wished she had a _little_ more faith in him.

The exterminator frowned at him again. "Don't take that tone with me. It's your fault you landed like that."

"My fault?" Miroku's mouth dropped open. "It was _my_ fault my hand started moving on its own?"

"It's your fault you overdid the acting." She corrected him and shook her head. "And it's your fault you won't admit it."

The monk sighed. "I wasn't acting." He lifted his left hand, studying it. "I really couldn't control it." He stared at it with the utmost concentration. "Something…" Holding it limply, he flicked it with his right hand. "Something was wrong…"

Sango's lips thinned; maybe he really was telling the truth? She leaned forward to examine the hand. "If you're telling the truth- and I'm not saying you are," she looked at it curiously, "then what happ-" Her body stiffened as she broke off mid-sentence. The woman's eyes narrowed ominously. "What is your hand doing?"

Miroku blinked in confusion, wriggling his fingers. "It's not doing anything." He cocked his head to the side, still staring at the appendage. "Why?"

"Not that one… Your _other _hand." Her voice sounded oddly forced, for some reason.

"Hmm?" He flexed his right hand and realised, with some confusion, that there was something in it. Something that was soft and warm, and that felt rather familiar, to be more precise. "Wha…?" The man turned his head, and his mouth opened in surprise. "Oh… oh…" He caught a look of Sango's face, and gulped. "Oh… shit…" Miroku slowly and carefully removed the guilty appendage from where it had been resting on the girl's backside. "Ahh…" He cringed as her eyes narrowed further. "Sorry?"

"And I suppose it was moving on its own again?" Sango's voice was low and venomous, almost trembling with her ire.

The man backed away slowly. "I don't quite know what happened…" She turned her face to look at him, and he flinched. "I won't do it again?"

She rose to her feet. The background seemed to darken, and the woman's form towered considerably over the shrinking Miroku. "Run, little piggy. Run."

He bolted.

Sesshoumaru eyed the scene lazily, watching as the exterminator leapt up and gave chase.

"Come back here, you pervert!"

"Promise you won't hurt me first!"

The demon let out a slow breath at the situation. At first, he'd thought that the monk had been acting at his own perverted discretion, but now something strange was prompting him to think otherwise.

His eyes narrowed as he sensed something approaching. It seemed to be edging closer from in front, even though there appeared to be nothing there. Sesshoumaru brought his hand, almost casually, to rest on Tenseiga's hilt. He gazed forward with a stoic expression, trusting his sense of smell to combat this invisible entity.

After another moment's hesitation, he drew his sword in a sudden whirl, and positioned it with the tip pointed at something in front of him. "Touch me, and I _ensure_ you that you will cease to exist, Inuyasha"

And just as suddenly, his brother's form flashed to visibility. "How the hell did you know?"

Sesshoumaru gazed at him cooly. The half-demon looked the same as ever, although his outfit was rather questionable for this era. He edged the sword closer to the half-demon's neck and almost smirked as Inuyasha flinched at the touch of cold steel.

The younger brother wore an expression of confusion tinged with a little disappointment. He'd wanted so badly to embarrass the demon, but once again, Sesshoumaru had been one step ahead of him. One of his ears fidgeted. He flicked the blade that was pointed threateningly at his neck. "And why can I touch this thing?"

Pulling Tenseiga away, Sesshoumaru stared solidly at the half-demon. "Your stench is powerful, even as a spirit." He sheathed the magical blade. "And Tenseiga is not a sword of the physical world. Satisfied?"

Inuyasha shrugged.

A silence stretched between them.

The dog-demon regarded his brother emotionlessly. "Are you ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"To be revived."

Hopping into the air, the hanyou floated lazily. "I don't know… being like this is actually kind of fun…" He secretly relished the look of annoyance on his brother's face, and decided to egg him on some more. "I might stay a little longer…" Flicking his wrist, Inuyasha sent a breeze of wind at the demon lord.

Narrowing his eyes against the gust, Sesshoumaru stiffened. "You would make I, Sesshoumaru, wait for you?" The demon scowled ever so slightly as his irritation rose. Nerves already having been strained by Sango and Miroku, he was not in an even remotely negotiable mood at the moment. "And I suggest you think carefully before answering."

"Yes, in fact, I would." Inuyasha smirked. "I don't have to go back if I don't have to. And you can't do anything about it." He sniggered as he noticed the twitching muscle in the demon's cheek.

Anger fully roused, the dog-demon half-drew Tenseiga threateningly. "Say that again, little brother." His voice was soft. Dangerous.

"What?" He cocked an eyebrow, seeming not to notice Sesshoumaru's ire. "You mean, 'And you can't do anything abou—'"

"Inuyasha!"

The hanyou suddenly recoiled. "Damn."

Behind him, a wrathful looking girl appeared. Feeling her presence, Inuyasha faltered and dropped back to the ground. "You promised me!" Kagome grabbed and tugged non-too-gently on a dog-ear. "You played your prank on Miroku, now stop harassing your brother!"

From somewhere in the distance, Miroku cried out triumphantly. "Hah! I told you it wasn't me!"

"I am _not_ harassing him." Inuyasha tilted his head back and shouted back, "The first couple of times was me, but that last grope you had…" He drifted off and grinned evilly as the monk gave a yelp.

"Pervert!"

The hanyou's smile widened.

Kagome sighed. "Come on. Let's go." She gave another tug, this one gentler than the others. "Time to live."

The half-demon turned and pouted. "But why? Why now?"

The miko crossed her arms. "Because you promised me." She paused for consideration. "And besides, you don't want your body to rot, do you?"

Glowering, Inuyasha mimicked her pose, edging his ear from her grasp. "So what if it rots? Tenseiga can always revive it."

"Inu-yash-a." Kagome drew his name out. "May I remind you that I know more about my powers than you do?" She held up a curled hand threateningly. "I can still purify you."

He backed away. "Fine. Meanie."

She stuck her tongue out at him.

By this time, Sango had grown tired of chasing the perverted monk, and the both of them had gathered next to the bickering couple. They watched the exchange with considerable interest before she broke in. "So… what took you two so long?" The exterminator peered that them curiously.

"Yeah." Miroku was nursing his cheek, although it probably wasn't the only injured body part. "What _did_ take you so long?" He gave the both of them a suggestive wink. The man smiled widely as Kagome's cheeks flamed, and as the hanyou's expression darkened considerably.

"Sango, if you would?" The woman complied with Inuyasha's request, smacking the monk over the head. "Thanks. We weren't doing anything. And is there ever a time when you're not perverted?"

He grinned sheepishly. "We still have to find out." His expression grew somewhat serious. "So, how's it like?" Miroku leaned against a young oak, attempting and failing to mask a wince.

"How's what like?" The hanyou's eyes narrowed at the possibility of another lewd question.

"Dying."

Sango frowned. "Don't be so insensitive."

Inuayasha hopped into the air again, flaunting his skills to the others. "It was sort of a big nothing." He shrugged. "There was pain and all that stuff, but then… nothing. I guess that's when I died. When I woke up, I was dressed in this," the half-demon tugged at his red _haori_, "and I was in a forest. After a while of waiting, she finally showed up." He glanced at Kagome from the corner of his eye. "What took you so long, anyway?"

The miko shrugged, feeling her face heat up with indignation at the critical voice. "You're not supposed to be able to meet up with other people there. You should be grateful I even found my way." She glowered at him. "Finding you wasn't easy."

Scowling, the demon was about to fire back what promised to be a sharp rebuttal, but his brother interrupted him. "That is all very fascinating," Sesshoumaru's voice dripped with sarcasm. "But you can continue your discussion after the halfling is living again." He stalked off towards his brother's physical body, patience obviously having worn out.

Exchanging glances at the eruption, in Sesshoumaru-standards, Sango and Miroku followed after the demon. Inuyasha hung back for a while, until he felt Kagome's finger drilling into his back. "Move."

He turned around and flashed her a pout. But her expression was resolute, and he sighed. The half-demon let his gaze wander skyward, and noted idly that sunrise was only a few minutes away. Then, he allowed himself to be pushed forward. "Can't we do this later?" Inuyasha whined quietly. "It's cool like this." He heard her sigh. "And besides, don't you like it better?"

Kagome reached around and gently clasped his hand. "There are things more important than what I like or not. We still have to figure out what to do with Naraku and the Jewel." She squeezed and smiled as he squeezed back. "And I promise, that we'll work things out after. Okay?" She cocked her head to the side, and her nose wrinkled. "Didn't we talk about this before?"

The hanyou grunted his assent. "Maybe you'd changed your mind?"

"Nope." The girl released her hold on him and pushed forward to join the others, but a tug on the back of her shirt made her pause. Kagome sighed. "What is it now?" She turned back.

"Just one more thing…" Inuyasha frowned, as if thinking hard. His gaze travelled behind Kagome, to study the curtain of trees that blocked them from where the others were standing. After a while, he seemed to have made his decision, and lightly pulled her to him. "Before it's too late…" He dipped his head down, and gently pressed his lips against hers in a spontaneous kiss.

Kagome felt her breath catch and her eyes widen at the unexpected caress. Her hands pressed instinctively against his chest, about to push him away. However, a funny, tingling warmth spread out through her body, and she smiled slightly before allowing herself to relax. Her eyes slowly drifted shut and she allowed herself to enjoy the embrace. The half-demon didn't seem to plan on letting go of her any time soon, so the miko just sighed and lightly grasped at the material that covered his chest.

After a few more seconds, the two separated. The corners of Inuyasha's mouth quirked upwards at the slight blush that warmed her cheeks. "Still want me to go back?"

"Oh, Inuyasha." Kagome gave him a weak glare before turning around, tugging on his hand. "Don't do that. Come on." She tried to make herself sound cheerful, but couldn't keep the slight edge of disappointment from tinting her tone. She _would_ miss him and being able to be _with_ him, instead of just around him.

But she had to think practical, and having Inuyasha alive was the best choice. Besides, her priestess training had always taught her to make sacrifices for the general good of others. She would never be able to alleviate the guilt if Inuyasha stayed a spirit just for her.

She squared her shoulders determinedly and walked forward.

As the coupled emerged from behind their covering, they were met with the confused, curious, and annoyed looks that belonged to Miroku, Sango, and Sesshoumaru, respectively.

"What took so long?" The monk scratched his head.

The hanyou smirked, though it lacked its usual edge. "Do you really think we're going to tell you?"

Miroku gaped at them silently, and slowly, a lewd grin began making its way up his face. Sango stared at them silently, noting the expression on her friends' faces, and absently whacked her boyfriend over the head.

He started. "What?"

"Bad thoughts." She turned and glared at him pointedly. "What they do doesn't concern you."

Sesshoumaru gave a barely distinguishable snarl of impatience and without a word of warning, drew Tenseiga. He shot a glance of annoyance at his brother, and turned to the body. Before Inuyasha could even respond to the action, the elder brother had swept the sword over the half-demon's body, effectively eliminating the impish creatures that were waiting for a soul to take.

And suddenly the spirit, Inuyasha vanished into thin air.

The humans stared at where he had stood just moments earlier for a while, before moving their gazes to rest onto the hanyou's body. Slowly, but perceptively, small changes began to break out over the body. The blood gradually faded away until Inuyasha's skin and hair was left clean again. The bruises that spotted his chest and cheek also vanished.

Gradually, the half-demon's body healed, until the only injury left was the fatal one in his abdomen. Soon enough, that too disappeared, and Inuyasha's human body was left clean and whole again.

It was then, that the sun chose to rise, and as the first rays of light caressed the landscape, Inuyasha began another transformation. The black hair whitened until it gleamed with a silvery sheen. As the half-demon began to stir with life, his nails grew longer and sharpened to claws. He groaned, and his opened mouth revealed sharp and gleaming canines.

Finally, Inuyasha cracked his eyes open, and the group watched, as the pupils became slitted and lightened back to an amber colour. The hanyou blinked bemusedly at the fascinated faces that stared down at him, before the sight finally registered in his mind, and he barked out, "What the hell are you looking at?" He hopped to his feet, cracking his neck and knuckles.

The others scattered.

"You're all healed." Sango stared at him in wonder. "How do you feel?"

The hanyou shrugged, rubbing his bare stomach. "Sore." He paused, then added, "And kind of hungry." He stretched and grimaced as several joints cracked.

"That's amazing." Miroku stepped forward and poked the skin that covered his friend's abdomen. "Just a few minutes ago, there was nothing here."

Inuyasha swatted the man's finger away. "Don't touch me." He caught sight of his brother, and a frown swept over his face. For a moment, he was silent and appeared to be thinking seriously. "Yeah, uh, Sesshoumaru, I guess…" He closed his eyes with a pained expression. "I guess I owe you a-"

"You were an experiment I tested Tenseiga on." The demon cut in roughly. "There is nothing to thank." He sheathed his sword.

Taken back, the hanyou shot back, "Who said I was going to thank you?" But despite his coarse tone, Inuyasha knew that everything was perfectly even between himself and his brother. He swept his blood-stained shirt off the floor and pulled it on. Unfortunately, this didn't do much to cover his body on account of the rips, tears, and holes in it.

Noting the silence that still came from the one other person in the area, the half-demon turned to glance at Kagome. Her expression seemed slightly sad and far away, as if her mind was wandering somewhere else.

"Kagome?"

The girl started and focused onto his face. "Huh? Oh. Ah… It's nice to see you're back to normal." Silently, he continued to stare at her, causing her to squirm uncomfortably. "What?" She turned away.

Inuyasha glanced around, fixing a pointed look onto the other three. They stared back blankly, until Sango finally got the message and began pulling Miroku towards the exit. "We'll get some food and supplies from the house."

Her boyfriend cottoned on as well. "Yeah. It's probably not safe in there anymore, so it might take awhile." He thought about it for a moment. "And I'll call Higurashi-san too." He continued to babble, thus further annoying his friend. "And I think I'll put some spells around the house as well. It can't hurt to have some extra protection, right?"

The muscle just under the half-demon's eye twitched with annoyance. "Just go, will you?" Miroku gave him a bemused look, and then obediently trailed Sango out of the garden. He paused at the doorway and ripped off one of the ofuda spells, ensuring that Sesshoumaru would have no trouble getting out as well.

Said demon gazed silently at the two prone figures before giving a dismissing 'hmph'. The demon then turned around and followed the humans without a word. Inuyasha continued to glare at the door until it had closed shut.

Satisfied, the half-demon turned around… to catch Kagome trying to sneak into the forest.

"Where do you think you're going?" He jumped to his feet.

She stopped dead in her tracks. After a pause, the miko turned and gave him a nervous, unconvincing smile. "I thought you wanted to be alone," she paused, then added slowly, "so I'm leaving you alone."

Inuyasha scowled at her. "You have to stay."

"Why?"

"Because, we nee-… I want to talk."

Kagome stared at him. "_You_ want to talk? About what?" She feigned confusion and continued to edge closer to the eaves of the forest. "Are you trying something new?"

He sighed and crooked a finger. "Come back here."

"I don't want to."

The half-demon felt a flare of impatience rise up within him. "Just get over here, wench!"

Kagome's own annoyance rose to the occasion. "Don't call me wench!"

"Bitch."

"Mutt."

Despite himself, a corner of Inuyasha's mouth lifted. "Woman."

"I _am_ a woman." She raised an eyebrow.

"_Annoying_ woman."

Kagome bowed. "Thank you." She smiled slightly, forgetting her exasperation.

He shook his head, taking a few steps closer to her. "Are you okay?"

"Okay? Why shouldn't I be?" The brief happiness brought by the short argument faded away.

"You don't seem that happy." Inuyasha crossed his arms. "Something's wrong, isn't it?"

The girl shrugged self-consciously. "No. I'm perfectly fine."

His eyes narrowed. "Spit it out."

She crossed her arms as well. "Spit what out?"

"Whatever you're hiding."

"I'm not hiding anything."

Inuyasha felt a growl growing at the back of his throat. "Why won't you tell me?"

"What is there to tell?" Kagome fired back.

The hanyou pulled out his last card. "You don't trust me, do you?" He pulled on the most pathetic face he could manage.

She was almost moved by the look, but the miko strengthened her stubbornness. "Of course I do." She frowned at him. "But that doesn't mean I have to tell you everything."

He brought a hand to his forehead from frustration. "Come on! You know one of my secrets; shouldn't I get to know one of yours?"

She frowned. "What secret?"

"I turn human on the night of the new moon."

Kagome scowled. "I found that out entirely by accident. It doesn't count"

Inuyasha mustered a look that was even more pitiful look than the last. "Please?"

Shifting uncomfortably, the woman tried not to be affected. But alas, it was a losing cause, and she felt her resolve shatter. Kagome bit her lip and tried to think of a way to phrase her words. "Remember when we talked back in that other place?" She avoided looking into his face.

"Yeah." He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why?"

"Well, I might have…" She trailed off into a mumble.

The hanyou leaned in closer. "What?" His ears twitched.

Kagome glanced skyward. "I might not have told the whole truth."

He stiffened. "About what?"

She seemed to ignore him. "Well, actually, I might have promised you something that I… don't think is possible."

Inuyasha clenched his hands. "_What_?"

"I don't think…" She took in a deep breath. "I don't think I _can_ be made alive again."

Surprised, he stared at her for a few moments. He felt uncertainty drop onto his shoulders, and tried to shrug it off with a scoff. "Of course you can." He coughed, trying to disguise his doubt. "Tenseiga can do it."

Kagome argued back, "But it there needs to be a body for it to heal! Do _you_ see my body lying somewhere here?" For effect, she waved her arms around her. A short breeze seemed to respond to the action, swirling around her.

The half-demon closed his eyes, mastering himself and his feelings. When he next spoke, his tone was filled with determination. "We'll find it. Don't worry." He gave her a mildly curious look. "Have you ever actually looked for it?"

"…No." She sighed. "But I'm just warning you now. If reviving me doesn't work, don't get too down." The woman swallowed thickly. "And if anything goes wrong, I don't want you moping over me, okay?" She held up her hand when he opened his mouth. "Wait. Promise me, that if anything…. _Anything_ happens, you won't do anything rash?"

Inuyasha's insides had chilled at her request. "Wh-what are you planning?"

Kagome faltered at the displeased look on his face. "Nothing." She spoke a little too quickly to put his fears to rest.

"Don't lie to me." He glared at her.

"I'm not." At his continued look of disbelief, she explained. "It's just that, Naraku's pretty powerful, and he might do… something. He's desperate, and… he'll probably do anything to get the Jewel." The miko hesitated. "I'm saying that if he does something to me, you should get out of there. Okay?" Kagome mustered a winning smile. "Please?"

The half-demon paused. After a while, his features set, and he took in a strengthening breath. Inuyasha squared his shoulders and looked directly into her face. "I can't."

Kagome cast her eyes downward. "Can't what?" She appeared to be bracing herself for the worst.

Inuyasha's answer was short. "I can't promise you that." He turned and began walking away.

"But-"

"There is no way in **hell** I'm leaving if something happens." He fired his words over his shoulder in a way that ended the discussion. "You should know that by now." Before she could respond, Inuyasha yanked open one of the double doors. "Hey- whoa!" He'd been about to shout, but something unexpected cut the yell off sharply.

The half-demon leapt backwards, narrowly missing being crushed by his best friend and his mate, who'd come crashing to the floor. Regaining his composure, he glowered at them, now knowing full well that they'd probably been crouched at the door the whole time, eavesdropping on the conversation/argument. They shared identical, guilty expressions.

"What were you doing?" He gritted his teeth.

Miroku flashed an unconvincing grin at him. "We were going to come in, and you opened the door." He waited as Sango got off of him and wince as she pressed against a particularly tender area. "We pushed, you pulled, we fell down."

Inuyasha rubbed his forehead. "You expect me to believe that?"

"Well…" He drifted off.

Sango jumped to the man's aid. "We _did_ bring supplies." She opened the door, revealing a large pile of things. Food, his backpack, and several other packages topped off the heap. "So, even if we heard anything…" The girl caught Miroku waving his hands and making slitting actions across his throat, and quickly added, "which we _didn't_, we wouldn't have heard much anyway."

The half-demon eyed her suspiciously, but let it drop. "Fine."

"What?" His friend snapped his fingers. "You'll believe her, but not me?"

"You shouldn't be surprised." Inuyasha half turned, caught Kagome's expression… and inwardly winced. The look she was sending to him was far from assuring. As the common phrase went, 'If looks could kill…' He turned hurriedly back to the others, all business once more. "So, where's Sesshoumaru?"

Miroku jabbed his thumb towards the exit. "Outside."

And without another word, the half-demon quickly sailed out of the garden.

Sango turned to glance at the miko, and she too, noted her displeased expression. "Hey, Miroku."

"Yeah?"

"Can you go get my _katana_? I think I left it in the car."

The man scratched his head. "But I could have sworn you brought it…" She shot him a meaningful glare. "…Right. Car. I'll go look." He shot out of the garden as well, not willing to face another bout with the girl.

"Kagome-chan…" Sango moved over to stand beside the spirit. "What's wrong?"

Heaving a sigh, Kagome turned to face her. "He's being thick-headed again." She dropped to assume a cross-legged position over the grass. "Is it so hard to just listen to somebody once in a while?"

The exterminator joined her on the ground. "For Inuyasha? Of course it is. He's used to having his way, after how he was treated as a kid."

Kagome's interest rose. "He was? I though he had a horrible childhood."

"He did." Sango stretched her arms. "His mother died, and his father didn't pay much attention to him. Sesshoumaru couldn't stand him, so he was raised by the servants." She glanced at the miko from the corner of her eye. "I don't suppose he ever told you about Myouga?"

"No. He never told me anything about his childhood."

"Myouga was, well, he _is_ this flea demon. I think he was the closest retainer to Mamoru-sama- his father." She paused and shook her head. "Doesn't matter. Anyway, he felt sorry for Inuyasha after both parents died, and was pretty much the one who brought him up. He was a bit of a pushover though, and that's part of why Inuyasha's used to getting his way, I guess."

Kagome nodded. "I see."

"The other servants used to be scared to death of him, because he had a bad temper; even as a child." Sango sighed. "They listened to everything he said, and if it was possible, stayed as far from him as possible."

The miko seemed to be getting more depressed.

Sango sighed. "Look, Kagome-chan, I know it's frustrating that he won't listen to you, but you have to understand that it's because he cares about you so much."

The woman turned her eyes to look at her. "How do you know?" She sounded desperate and accusing at the same time. "I want the best for him, but he won't even listen to what I have to say."

Sango smiled reassuringly. "You know you're the only person to have trusted him as soon as you saw him? He and Miroku met early in junior high, and couldn't stand each other. It was a long time before they learned to be friends." She paused for thought. "At least, that's what Miroku told me."

Kagome's looked at her curiously. "How about you?"

"I met him during college." She sighed, shaking her head. "It was the first time Miroku groped me, and he hit him. I remember trying to avoid the both of them for quite a while; I thought they were weird." The girl shrugged. "But he grew on me. Both, I mean."

For a while, the two sat there in silence. One, reminiscing about her past, and the other, thinking on the present.

"Tell me more?" Kagome's voice was questioning. "Can you tell me more about his past?"

Sango hesitated. "Shouldn't you ask him instead?"

Her friend sighed. "I don't think we're on talking terms right now."

The exterminator remained silent, thinking. Finally, she seemed to come to a decision, and smiled slightly. "I guess telling you what I know won't hurt." She winked. "Being with his best friend has its high points, even if he is a pervert." The somewhat weak joke worked, drawing a soft giggle from Kagome. "So, what would you like to know?"

"Has he ever had any…" The miko drifted off. "No, that's too personal. I can't…"

Sango appeared unperturbed. "Has he ever gone out with anyone else?" At her friend's blank look, she elaborated. "Had any other… lovers?"

She flushed scarlet.

"I think he only had one. During junior high, but that's all I know." She shrugged helplessly. "I don't even know her name. Sorry."

"It's okay." Kagome was just about to ask another question, when the doors opened, and all three men came in at once. She immediately cut herself off, and the two women tried to make themselves seem as innocent as possible.

She caught Inuyasha's gaze, and noticed the suddenly relieved expression that settled over his features. Kagome frowned. Had he been afraid of her? She gave him a questioning look, and he scowled, somewhat embarrassed. Thankfully, his preoccupation over worrying about her anger at their last discussion caused him to overlook the suspicious situation…

"So, what have you girls been talking about?" Miroku jiggled the staff he'd retrieved from the ground. The question made Inuyasha frown, and he stared curiously at the both of them.

…or not.

"Nothing." Sango answered brusquely. "We weren't talking about anything."

The half-demon eyed them skeptically, but one look at the miko's frowning disposition successfully made him swallow any remarks. He managed to mumble a weak, "Whatever."

Miroku seemed surprised that he dropped the topic so quickly. "Aren't you curious…?"

"No." Inuyasha gave him a pointed look.

He sighed. "Fine."

Sesshoumaru broke into the resulting silence. "Girl." He rested his gaze on Kagome. The others snapped sharply to attention, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Her eyes widened when she realised he was talking to her. "Yes?"

"Tell me about the Shikon, and why Naraku would want it." At the mere mention of the shape-shifter's name, Inuyasha's demeanour darkened, and his fists tightened.

She frowned. "It will take a long time to get all the facts straight."

The dog-demon's lips seemed to thin. "Then you'd better be comfortable."

There was a terse silence.

"Hey, lighten up." The monk tried to brighten the heavy mood. "What is this- a council of war?" He was speared by four serious looks, and his cheerful expression faltered.

After an uncomfortable pause, Sango answered his rhetorical question. "It very well might be."

* * *

Review Responses:

-- CTHKSI  
_Re: Wow, that was great.  
Say, whatever happened to Kikyou?_

Well, Kikyou's in the past, she's dead, and her existence isn't _that_ important to the plot. I doubt you'll be reading too much more of her in this story… 

-- Terrasina Dragonwagon  
_Re: Aw. Fluffiness. They're so cute.  
...Would it not work for Sesshy to just use Tenseiga on Kagome? Or is the problem there simply that she doesn't know where her body is, and therefore Sesshy can't get at it either?  
...Meh. Update soon! I'm very curious about this prank thing._

I'm assuming that Tenseiga needs a body (or at least ashes) in order to heal it, and since nobody knows where Kagome's body is, the option of reviving her through that method is non-existent. Basically, you got it right in your second sentence. -.-;; Another reason? Using Tenseiga would be too easy for my tastes… and besides, I want Inuyasha to bring her back, don't you? ;)  
And the prank. I don't think I lived up to expectations for that one… -.-;;

--Midoriko-Sama  
_Re: just came across this fanfic, and I have to say... it's marvelous. You've handle an AU with care- something that few people do, and you've also given many original ideas to a use and over used theme, making it look completely fresh. I love your characters- Miroku, Sango, Inuyasha .. they all sound like the characters from the manga. Kagome's slightly different- but you covered her difference so utterly that it's completely believable. Not only am I adding you to my favourites, but I'm also recommending this fic on the Green Tea forum. You deserve it, this fic is fantastic. Keep it up, and I hope to see an update soon.  
PS: I loved the little scene between Inuyasha and Kagome. Of course, naughty little me would like something more (to quote VGCats "Have sex, damnit!" ...just kidding! Actually I was thinking of a kiss...) but it was very appropriately done. More than that would have been rushed for the couple- especially for Inuyasha.. even though when it really hits him that he won't be able to touch her for a good while... I don't see him behaving rationally.  
I loved this fic. I'll be keeping a sharp eye out for it._

Oh, my goodness. I must thank you for the praise and the recommendation as well. However, I don't think I deserve all of it right now… I now find some of the content in the beginning chapters to be slightly tedious to read. As soon as I finish this story, I'm going to go back and edit, so that I can make this story as good as you make it sound! Just out of curiosity, what is the 'Green Tea forum'?  
And the kiss? I added that in this chapter (You read VGCats too? Hilarious, isn't it?). A little hurried, but, hey, it might be their last moment to truly be 'together'… And I hope nobody takes that last bit too badly.

--

Many Thanks to:

SilverStarWing  
AnimeAngelz  
Mini Nicka  
Misato-Katsuragi2  
humble-bumble  
ever free  
Dark-Magician-41  
M.M  
cool-chick-rae  
silens letum  
BlueDevil592  
Elfin Kagome  
Number-1-Baka101  
animemistress419  
sapphirepink  
ShiverShiver  
WhiteDloud  
NefCanuck  
StormDarkblade  
Kamako  
Inu-chan's luver  
ILOVEINU589 –('Coolio'. What scares me is that my English teacher says that. A lot.)  
inu-n-kag fanatic527  
ixchen –(Please refer to Terrasina Dragonwagon's answer. …I'm lazy.)  
Kitsama  
Chelley Angel  
DmonXtrmN8er  
lovablekittymew  
Ryous-Crystal –(Despite your best wishes, the writer's block still consumed me. -.-;;)  
ebonyS2  
chibilee  
Sarcasm Girl8  
jschu25

* * *

--::Sigh:: Yes, I made all of you wait for a month, and for a boring transition chapter, too! I have my excuses, but I'm sure you all would rather I spend my time on writing instead of explaining them to you, no?  
Hopefully, you'll forgive me, and not make my punishments too severe… -.-;;  
I didn't realise many of you would have such expectations to what prank Inuyasha was going to pull, and I think that threw me off a bit… -.-;;  
**Oh, and I've decided** that I'm going to respond to all reviews my email, from now on. It's just too wide a time-margin between chapters, and I'm sure that many of you forget your questions/comments. The review responses also take up quite a bit of space in the chapter, and sometimes add too many words to the work count. So, if you review anonymously, I'd appreciate it if you left your email address. But if you _do_ have a question, and _don't_ give me your email, I'll just put your answer at the end of each chapter. Like always.

Till next time… (And let's hope that's not too far away)

Ja!--


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